I can only imagine what it must have felt like to experience these earthquakes....suffice to say I was horrified just looking at the pictures on tv....devesting it was I know and I expect the fear will live with you forever. It must be strange to walk around and miss some building etc that you were familiar with..probably passed everday and they were perhaps landmarks to the community.

You have done a wonderful job with this verse and it was a pleasure reading it. Very well done.

I live on a fault line and so I've experienced these terrors a few times in my life, nothing to what you are describing though. This was really a beautifully crafted poem... the memory of buildings that are no longer there, as Hellon said - possible landmark destroyed. Ah, it really is a scary thing, mother nature. You never know when it's truly going to happen, it can spark at any time.

I remember reading your other earthquake poetry before and I think it's really given you some incredible inspiration.. so at least we can find a little silver lining in the midst of all the damage and destruction :)

"you must remember that the moon does not have to be full
for you to love it. "

I love this... absofreakinglutely love this part. It's gorgeous and beautiful. I love the technical pieces of this poem as well - not only is the imagery there and very raw... but it's also clever. I love the repetition, the subtle rhyme here and there, and your alliteration. You really threw a lot into this poem to keep it interesting and intriguing throughout the length. I really love this piece, and hope to see it on the front page next week! :>)

It is spring now,
it is two springs after winter.
So shake the frost from your ankles
and run.
Run for those who have heart.
Run for the ghosts that call from the kingdom
to retrieve arms of hope,
the ghosts that call
'please stay alive.'

^ I love love love love love love love love this.

A darn beautiful piece.
I hope this wins!!!

Glad this won. I remember I nominated it, but never had the chance to comment. I'll be back, though.

Beautiful poetry, always from you.

I know I hadn't commented on much of your work, but I sure have been reading them and everytime I'm even more impressed by the creativity of your images, language and imagination.

I'm a fan of repetition myself as well as opening and ending phrases with a twist, you do them quite well. If i were to pick one thing I didn't like about this, I'd say it's the usuage of the word "kingdom". I don't know why but it seemed too dreamy for the piece perhaps, or too out of the mood and tone of the image you've been creating.

Otherwise, I'm a fan. Keep on writing.

Why does this poem have the least comments/votes out of the three winners? I can really find some inner beauty in this write, some lines were really intriguing. This won't be the last time I read it, because I've never read a poem about an earthquake, this is absolutely new.

"you must remember that the moon does not have to be full
for you to love it."
^
Beautiful, beautiful lines. Very simple and metaphorical. I think I envy you for writing it :)

I love the opening and ending in your poem though I don't truly understand how you wanted to connect them to fear? Is it like, when an earthquake hits the city becomes drowned in fear? Forgive my simple mind.

This is a really good write and I really really admire the issue you tackled here, I love it when I see poems about completely different things than love and sadness in this site :)

Shine on~ =)

Although this is borne out of a terrible phenomenon, it is beautiful. I have just become a fan.

The author of this piece has the ability to captivate me with her excellent word display. This poem touched me deeply. I could feel the tragedy within her writing.... It's very difficult to make the reader feel along with each word and I found this poem to be brilliant in my eyes.

Truly a powerful nature poem and yet I'm glad she chose to place it in the sad genre, for she touched upon her sorrow of the tragedy itself in such a way that is mesmerizing to the reader. I admire who way of formatting this poem and the inspiration to keep on living and surviving in the end was very powerful. This poem deserves to be highlighted in so many ways... Wonderful piece of poetry!