tsunami vs. the fukushima 50. Lee Ann Roripaugh

dismantle the protective scrims

      that signal a cache of rawness

      to demolish defenseless succulence

      the hunger for the liquid center

      squirt of ganache in a swiss truffle

      chocolate lava cake’s molten fondant core

      to feed past the end of greed

      to feast past the end of want

      to gorge past the borders of voraciousness

      until she becomes the monstrous goddess

      of binge / pure mercenary lack

      the blooded face

      blood in the water

      the blood moon’s exposed sweet throat

      with its lipsticked jugular bitten clean out

      mothra flies again

      I knew it was a bad omen

      when silk moth cocoons hung

      unhatched like stillborn husks

      from the mulberry trees—

      imagoes furled tight as parasols

      crumbling to ash and dust inside

      but still, I felt so lucky

      to have survived the tsunami

      I felt so lucky to be alive

      after three reactor meltdowns

      daijobu, said mayor Norio Kanno

      daijobu, echoed the village officials