Nummy’s earth days ended
upon white chair, her
safe space. Resting where she
habitually lay,
like first century pet,
destroyed in Pompeii.
One city within vast empire,
stretching between Britain, Persia;
civilization unmatched anywhere.
Who considered volcano
threatening humans, animals?
Time rumbled on,
city grew in mountain’s shadow,
senators had every luxury available,
shaded seats in ampitheatre,
gambling over gladiator.
Gone in twenty four hours.
Eruption, pyroclastic surge,
suffocation’s ash,
choking many pets.
Civilization’s demise
took tragic poet
whose dog, overtaken, didn’t bark;
buried house discovered aeons later.
Preserved corpses describe people
unheeding smoke’s warning.
Yesterday, watched fire burn
in place once my home.
Your time is gone;
is our race almost run?
© Phil Kemp 2026
