There really was a fire
More important than the sun
Cooking us without incident,
Causing night rains to come.
There really was a fire
In our muscles, in our worldly brains,
Causing age and debilitating anger,
Bringing midnight rains.
We thought medicine was safe
And sleep the answer at day’s end
To the fire. Oh there’s a fire—
Though we apply lotions. And pretend.
There really was a fire
And only the fire will last.
It is why this bright, bright moment
Flickers sadly in the past.
There really was a fire
Making faces wrinkle and die,
Burning time with time
So that everything in time is a lie.
