What An Earthquake Is Thinking

Prompt Master Contest

Prize Prompt: The thing an earthquake thinks about before it happens

40 Line Count

What is an earthquake thinking
before it happens? First and
foremost, it asks, How shaky
can I get. The rocks will tumble
when I rumble. In this world, too
much anger and fire happen,
I must shake things up a bit.
My thinking cap says to get some
rocks and roll them down the hill.
Guitars and voices are screeching.

The voices are creating a
new kind of music. The rocks start to
roll down the hill when loud noises
start. I must find a way to stop
all this nonsense. It hurts my
sensitive ears. Never fear.
I will wake up this town. It
will cause a disturbance. Some
will survive this ordeal. Some
won't.

The reality of things will
awaken them. To beautify
the land, the people will rebuild.
Then, maybe, peace will return
to the way it once was.
Secondly, the earthquake wants
the roads to divide, like
the domino effect, knocking
down bridges so that the cars would
be swallowed up with their drivers.

It would have an astonishing
effect. In many different
ways, I could create scary
moments. Knocking down powerlines,
electricity would be
cut off, and criminals would come
out during the blackout to
steal other people's belongings.
This will not be cool.
Don't do it.


Written by Anna Marie Carlson
Preferred Author
Thursday, January 22, 2026







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