701. Volaha Poem by Jaden Knight

Volaha had been dormant for centuries
no books recorded its last activities
even the land itself seemed to have forgotten

Villages had grown up around its base
animals grazed peacefully on the sides
children played happily around the very top
little realising the danger beneath them

Then one day the ground shook violently
and black smoke started rising from the crater
some of the villagers stared up at it in wonder
while others ran away from the villages in fear

The priests and seers were puzzled
and could not give a satisfactory explanation
no sacrifice or ceremony was ever going to work
now that Volaha had awoken

Three nights later the volcano erupted violently
throwing lava and rocks high into the sky
covering all the surrounding villages in choking ash
suffocating everyone inside the huts
as they cowered in complete terror

Volaha would go on for 7 more days
until the magma chamber below was empty
only then would it appear to go back to sleep
standing dormant for the next few centuries
before the next major eruption