The Lost Thoughts

Words on radio ominously warned of coming holocaust
last minute heart pounding crisis mindset grasps at fleeting options,
still hoping that it all is a dream, a bad nightmare,
but then you feel the blast of death's harbinger breeze and insides chill from reality.

Chaos smothers reason, children scream in vicarious sense
of growing fear that cripples the brain.

Doing checklist of things to save
grabbing for some vacation souvenir necklace
unable to explain the impulse,
other than was heart's only time one truly felt alive.

Keep telling yourself, there will be time to get away
as life last seconds moves in slow motion.

Then the earth rumbles and you hear the roar,
gut tied in knots, looking up to see
the mountain of water rushing towards your world.

Spirit sinks into the quagmire of resignation,
every minute of life replays in a heartbeat,
holding onto family with trembling,
taking one last breath as water inches away
praying heaven is not an illusion.