Tsunami

When the tide recedes further

than normal

and sea life becomes stranded

in the sudden absence of water,

you must not pause

or think,

you must not run towards the

water to ask it where it is going.

You must decide,

in that moment,

when the clock does not tick

and the heart does not beat,

that your life,

your flesh and blood and soul and spirit

is worth saving.

You must turn away

from the deep sucking sounds

of the ocean gathering its

strength for one eternal wave

and follow the knowing that

lives in your feet,

the animal instinct to find

safe haven in the protective

arms of mother earth.

These are the times when

you must understand

when to marvel at the beauty

and stillness of unnatural

occurrences

and when to

run for your life.