Yard Sale of Thoughts

Dear Namazu,

The stone is loose. You've slapped the streets, 
now forked and ruined. Dislodged cities
with your latest temper tantrum.

Can you taste death through slimy skin
from deep beneath broken slabs of city concrete?

Mud-caked sides disguise your pallor,
as you rub yourself against the pillars
of a once mighty tower.

How long will you lie lurking 
in the murky depths of grief,

with body bag eyes, 
out of breath,
stinking of captivity?

Relinquish yourself!
Let us see those senseless barbels tremble
for your crimes against humanity.

Your revolt has spawned more deaths
than we can report; 
the bullies have grown bold.

Dire warning,
your outburst is a harsh reminder,
nature will never be controlled.

©2025|K.F.Hartless

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GloPoWriMo #2 We challenge you to write a poem that directly addresses someone, and that includes a made-up word, an odd/unusual simile, a statement of “fact,” and something that seems out of place in time (like a Sonny & Cher song in a poem about a Greek myth).

Namazu is a colossal catfish held to be responsible for earthquakes. In ancient Japanese folklore, Namazu is held down by a stone on the bottom of the ocean floor, but when his capture loses focus, and he is momentarily freed, he thrashes his tail about causing the the earth to quake. The Namazu’s outburst may also signal a need for societal upheaval and change.