Fire time.
Time
to taste the sweetness
of smoke,
rising slowly,
higher and higher.
Watching the flames jumping
higher, and higher, and higher.

Fire time.
Time
to hear the stories
as smoke
rises slowly,
higher and higher.
Watching the flames jumping
higher, and higher, and higher.

Fire time.
Time
to heal the sadness
of a child
who cries in front of the fire
as time passes slowly
and we watch the flames die down
and smoulder into nothing.

© Annette Gartland