New Zealand’s Great Alpine Fault Poem by Terence George Craddock (Spectral Images and Images Of Light)

earth mobile surface divided into tectonic plates
Alpine fault cross hair connects two subduction margins
New Zealand continent sits on plate boundaries

where ocean floor descends into Earth's mantle
at this point surfaces of two plates making up
South Island alpine fault fatally pressure meets

Pacific Plate on easterly area of New Zealand
is moving westwards Australian Plate on opposing
western side of New Zealand moves eastwards

plates sliding at a relative rate about 45mm per year

plate boundaries mobile move at relative rates as plates
move against each other enormous pressure builds
up must be released through earth movement the result

major quake along New Zealand’s Great Alpine Fault

pressure continually building building now 294 years
since pressure last released a large earthquake in 1717 AD
Christchurch earthquakes now world famous babies

are not expected overdue big one causing vast devastation

next earthquake centered on Alpine Fault is expected
to begin in South Westland a magnitude 8+ event felt
throughout entire South Island as far away as Sydney

just as terror struck Sendai area of Japan without warning
thus will next Great Alpine Fault earthquake strike
South Westland will occur with no recognizable warning?


Copyright © Terence George Craddock
http: //www.poemhunter.com/terence-george-craddock/