I remember the day
the earth shook
and spilled me to my knees
I was three, maybe four,
and for the first few seconds
I laughed
I unsteadily stood by the Y shaped tree
where my mother once snapped
a photo of me and my brother
through vibrating vision I could see home
but when the sidewalk rippled
I stopped laughing
yearning for better settings I took
one step forward but stumbled
to my left instead
with scratched knees and
palms planted on the ground
I stood back upright when
another wave took me for a spin
and within a single moment
I wasn’t where I once was
with home now further away
the tears were closer than
they ever had been before and
that morning I swore I’d never cry
the next time the ground came to get me
but I lied.
–
Adam Greenfield is a writer and podcast host, producer, and engineer. His book, Regarding the Monkey, was published by Puna Press (2015), and his writing has found homes in Griffel Magazine and other anthologies. His podcast, The Written Scene, consists of conversations with writers about the writing path and process.