We Couldn't Leave

[abbey74]

I am so privileged to live in this fine beautiful city of Pompeii
>It has been a long day, so as I retire I look out my window and see the
>violently flashing lightning, an oncoming storm
>I lie down in my bed, heavy thunder rolls, an oncoming storm, evidently
>with no delays
>I am always afraid of big monstrous storms.
>
>I don't know why, but this storm seems different in a strange kind of way
>I hear something falling, but it does not sound like rain
>I seem to hear people in the street as they stray
>What is going on? Did we do something the Gods did not ordain?
>
>Never in my wildest dreams would I ever think of Vesuvius to erupt
>But as people run this is what I think I hear people say
>I am looking out my window as I got out of bed very fast, very abrupt
>I see all this stuff, if the Gods are playing a game, I wish not to play.
>
>It is raining but not water it seems to be some sort of ash
>The ground is violently shaking, making each and everyone fill with
>intense fear
>I see a red river of something coming straight toward us, at this time I
>try to make a dash
>But it seems from this God forsaken stuff we can't steer clear.
>
>
>We make it to the shore line, but it seems the water it self is beginning
>to boil
>The air is starting to get very heavy, it is getting very hard to breathe
>Everyone of us is trying to breathe, but the air looks just like the soil
>The smell of sulfur is in the air, as we take our last breath, now it is
>too late to leave.
>

[Elle Rush]

Suffocating! Fear-gripping and scary. Well-done.

[Ken Corbett]

I always wonder what it must have been like for those unsuspecting folks. Thanks for putting your musings into words, I enjoyed it.

I live near an ancient volcano, a small hill that erupted before the last ice age I'm sure, and people go there to pick up sauna rocks. I'm not too worried, though.

Apparently the ash cloud travels at horrific speed and burns everything to a quick crisp. So why worry, eh?

Ken

[PoetOfSerendipity]

abbey.. do you write stories?? If not, maybe you should take a shot and post one on the forum here. If so.. post one you've already done. You did a GREAT job of painting a picture of this person from another time and place!!

[grouchmuffin]

Good stuff here--as I was reading this, I was thinking of a special on TV I watched a few months ago. There were petrified remains of the folks who huddled in masses as they waited for ships to rescue them. They were found very near the water, and I can imagine this poem being told to us from those in that mass grave. Nice read!!