Paying a Visit
I’ve stopped by the house,
as I often do
forgetting the way my body recoils
at the touch of the scalding doorknob
the fire has lasted for eons
smoke billowing over piles of rubble
roaring, resting, roaring again
injury a permanent state
structure beyond repair
framed photos cling to charred walls
some intact, some barely visible
evidence of the souls gone
and the ones still inside,
burning slow
children play in the yard
a careful distance from the wreckage
though from time to time,
an ember floats through the air
stinging their exposed skin
I’ll return home
ice my burnt hand
rinse off the ash
and reset the clock
