Nervous Seismographs

By Janet Baird.

a. Ticking Time Bomb

In Rabaul broad pink beetle-nut smiles
adorn the faces of the fuzzy wuzzies;
unhurried, barefoot, brightly adorned
they seem unconcerned by 14 active volcanoes.

From its eyrie high on Mt Tovanumbatir
the seismograph trembles in its bunker
overlooking partially rebuilt Rabaul
only recently buried under ash.

An air of resignation prevails.

Manila has also been rebuilt, over and over
following typhoons, earthquakes and volcanoes
yet busy people seem oblivious to warnings,
trusting their nine volcanoes to keep snoozing.

A police motorcycle escort clears a path for us
through traffic jams, past overcrowded slums
to rural Tagatay overlooking Taal volcano
in its peaceful caldera lake – smoking just a little.

b. Nagasaki

Who will attack Japan next?
Will it be nature or mankind,
quake, volcano, tsunami or
another nuclear bomb?

Seismographs measure them all.

The endangered reactor is still leaking
into the cringing Pacific,
poisoning marine flora and fauna.
Mother Nature Not Happy!

In Osaka and Nagasaki the black cloud
of radiation cancer constantly hovers.
Never again, say the countries of the world
as I walk among ornate statues in the Peace Park

contributed by many nations.
The seemingly simple Australian
Tree of Life supporting a coolamon
symbolises a powerful gift of peace and plenty.

c. Living on Shaky Ground

The west coast of North America
is shaking like a maple leaf,
seismographs tremble in anticipation of
the next major movement of this planet’s crust.

Seward in Alaska was destroyed by
an earthquake, rebuilt in 1964.
Alaska averages 55 serious quakes per year
caused by tsunamis or landslides of melting ice.

British Columbia has 300 quakes daily.
In Victoria school children have earthquake drill
diving under desks for minor trembles
or retreating to a dugout for serious alarms.

Further south, San Francisco has been
hit drastically by earthquakes.
In L.A. buildings have floating foundations.
Life is a lottery.

d. Kilauea

Aloha!
Will this remain a friendly greeting or
become a dirge smothered by molten magma
beneath the warm waters of the Pacific ocean?

From the helicopter the central crater of
smoking Kilauea
glows with liquid fire
just teasing, preparing for its grand finale

while sinister lava oozing from a side vent
helps to balance the pressure.
It creeps across the landscape
hissing and snarling into the sea.

Seismographs constantly monitor this
most continuously erupting volcano in the world
as it smoulders from the large magma chamber
lying just beneath the idyllic islands of Hawaii.

The Pacific Rim of Fire is alive and well.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Janet Baird has been a member of Geelong Writers since the early days at the Wintergarden. She is an artist, writer, grandmother, long standing student of U3A and retired secondary teacher. Janet recently published a book of poetry entitled Connecting: to this planet and Her inhabitants. Copies are available at The Book Bird.