THE FIRE BURNED IT ALL (Poem)

The fire burned it all
It wiped my slate clean
As I watched the things
I’d worked so hard for
Engulfed in plumes of black smoke
Gently licked by raging red and yellow flames
I could only fall to my knees and cry
When the fire burned it all.
Items of no monetary value
But which were sentimentally irreplaceable
Were ignited to ash
Photo edges curled and crisped
There was nothing that this fire would miss
It had a life
A will of its own
It took my home
Claimed it as its new throne
Nosing through my personal things
Flaming fingers melted diamond encrusted rings
Investigating every cranny and nook
It hurt me the most
When it torched my paintings… writing… books
WHOOOUMMPHH!!!
There it goes…
For some it is the start
For others the end of woes
WHOOOUMMPHH!!!
There it is…
Something breaks, melts and starts to fizz
Flaming fingers…
Flickerty flick…
Burning tongues…
Lickety lick…
My whole life gone before my eyes
I couldn’t stop it, even when I tried...
The water flowed
But the fire was stronger
I walked away broken
I couldn’t watch any longer…
Seeing my childhood go up in smoke
Invasion of privacy
By fiery pokes and prods…
I shouted out loud,
“Where are you God?”
“Why do you let my life be burned?”
“Am I being punished for a past wrong turn?”
“Is this a lesson that you want me to learn?”
I took a breath and finally looked back
Thereafter remembering Lot’s wife who was turned to salt
I realised then that it wasn’t really my fault
For me to get up after a fall
I had to rise up
When the fire burned it all.

©25th August 2010 – 02:09am Angela Edgar All Rights Reserved.
Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.
MCN: CHTG1-Y2WQ7-VNR4C

Listen to my reading of it here at about 1hr 14mins in.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/allwaysreal/2010/09/06/open-mic-night