The earth creaks, moaning under its own weight.
Amber glow seeps into leather bindings--
inky characters swiftly unfurl.
Heat rises, a volcano blushes.
Plaited papyrus sits, submerged in olive oil--
a child’s slumber interrupted.
Rocks skitter, dancing through midnight streets.
Broken voices ascend into the night--
soles slap against cobblestone streets.
Magma explodes, painting the stars.
Flesh melts like wax--
screams shatter silence.
Flames jump: an inferno.
Destruction invades--
death wins.
Lava swims, consuming a city.
The light of lamps wane--
the debt of nature, cemented in place.
Ashen snow falls on Pompeii, papery and grey.
Quiet faces etched with terror--
solidified for eternity.