On the Fault Line

Why is it we forgive the land
and not each other? Entire
countries shoved over several
feet and we call such disaster
natural and blame people

elected or hired to build say
nuclear reactors call them
irresponsible shame them
make them bow before the flag
as if that slack rectangle

drooping on the pole were their
superior and they're the ones
who couldn't rise to the occasion
and save the nation not quite
the same as one hundred

forty two thousand
square miles of land that
commits instant subduction
a nose dive so big and loud
it cracks the pavement

all the houses courts castles
and institutions sends a
jolt right through the world
splash crash words aren't big enough
changing everything especially

the routines of everyone
who didn't know till yesterday
they went to work and school and play
where all the action now isn't

the epicenter

the zone the radius
the evacuation and contamination
and probably no cherry blossom
parade this spring only cleaning
and TV reporters asking how

do you feel could you stand
a little closer to the rubble please
what's that you say? you're offering
the multi-millionaire host of reality
a crust of campfire cooked something

so easily we forgive the land
and not the brother sister mother
father uncle aunt and all those
grandfathers who say it's too late
to start anew it's not their fault

or was it? did they get us into
the mess before it happened

living on the fault line