The Fire

The sun flicks a sheen ‘cross her long curly hair
And reflects from the depths of her eyes of despair
And projects her despair through my skin to my soul
And injects in my heart, searing hot like a coal.

Now the coal in my heart spreads the flame to my veins
Coursing hot through the vessels, fire-cleansing my brain
Searing straight to my lungs, sucking air from my breath
Til the fire’s finished spreading its merciless death.

In the wake of the blaze, when the ashes have cooled
There I stand with the gaze of a guilt-ridden fool
And she stands with the eyes of a heartbroken child
Softly mourning the love that my lies have defiled.

But the fire left ashes in the place of my soul
And the hardening coals keep me weighted and cold
But she’s starting to freeze, and I must make her warm
So I relight my coals so she lives through the storm.