Freeze-frame

Dinosaur, railing at the asteroid,

conscious of trajectory,

sending young ones away;

but old now and thinking of legacy:

perfect fossil, beautiful bones,

famous excavation.

Slave, fearing Vesuvius,

conscious of angry smoke,

thinking: "Master, your time has come";

but old now and in tableau:

perfect posture, dignified beyond status,

strobed by flash.