Earth Science
In the rainy winter of ’38
the hill below our house trembled
and the earth slid away
in the middle of the night.
The hill below our house trembled
but I slept through it unaware
in the middle of the night
when everything was dark.
I slept through it unaware
of geology and how the world works
while everything is dark.
My room was silent.
Geology and how the world works,
were lessons I’d learn later
when our room was silent,
and what’s between was lost.
Yes, lessons I’d learn later
when everything slid away
and what’s between was lost
in the rainy winter of ’68.
—Ruth Bavetta, San Clemente, CA
