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coal-hard


It is at those times

she is most

white-hot

he bursts

to flame.

 

Those times she is

most coal-hard

dense-packed

internally

combusting.

 

Seeing it

smelling it almost

he moves like dogs do

at legs and 

lamp-posts.

 

In her

at this point

there is nothing beyond

an outer appearance of growing

cold.

 

 

And so he goads her

sparking now

looking for a little

paper, just a little

tissue and some twigs.

 

He must be mistaken

doesn’t see why

she’d burrow

wilful

deep in ashes.

 

Just moments before

it seems to him

she was

wild, frantic-red

devouring.

 

And so he prods at her

poker metallic

till when at last she does fall open

there’s only steam,

a form of water.


Melissa Petrakis

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