Feature > Poetry
Church Fire
As in, He was a walking church fire.
As in, someone left rags in the bin
without flushing out the spirits.
As in, fire trucks from three counties
converged in the center town night
to aim hoses at a top hat of smoke
spouting from the old building's head.
As in, fire shimmying up the drywall
like a fast-moving cancer, flashing
flames inside sweating window frames.
As in, lucky no one ended up dead.