structural solemn

With violent trembling, the earth cleft itself wide

A brother of mine stood bedraggled, unsound

As another, in a fit, fell ruptured in his side

His eyes were dim as he fell onto the ground

The rest of us stood in helpless awe

Beyond our ken, the tribulation we saw

And that we would soon encounter

Awkwardly poised, planted in a straight row

There was nowhere we could hide

Soothly, nowhere else that we could go

And at the first watch, another one of us died

As flames, menacing, rose up from within

Death, devouring another one of my kin

They said he was a tried structure

The humans descended thither, upon him

Brandishing a tonic from distant ocean

They examined him from limb to limb

And bestowed the uncanny potion

Some said it was an act of God

Or mayhap a melting fuel rod

But which? I searchingly wondered

What fate befalls the rest of us?

Mayhap to-morrow we shall see?

Nature struck with a wanion and thus

To-morrow’s end dwells in mystery

Might we have reached an impasse?

Would we gather a critical mass?

Thwarted by doubt and ambiguity

I await to-morrow’s portion

note: the writer disapproves.