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Open Poetry #31
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Water And Fire
| Open Poetry #31 |
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Water And Fire |
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Jaime Fradera Senior Member
since 2000-11-25
Posts 843Where no tyranny is tolerable |
It is daylight and we are in class. We are told that, today, There will be another fire drill, Another test evacuation Of the building. To make this one more realistic, It will feature a simulated fire. A group of us goes around the building, Treating all the furniture and flammables With a liquid fire simulate, And everything is ready. The simulated fire starts in a closet. It quickly spreads through the huge complex. It roars and crackles angrily. It fills the air With acrid, stinging smoke. People are running round in panic, All instructions forgotten. But the fire isn't real. I have the job of "cleaning up" the fire. I do this by working A contraption like a walker, Speeding down a long, long hallway. But the fire and smoke are not real. They are just an effect Of the fire simulating chemical Boiling off into the air. Although things seem to be on fire, As with Moses and the Burning Bush, Nothing is consumed by the simulated flames. Everything is left undamaged. The fire simulant Is so completely harmless That even children can play with it. I emerge from the burning building, Join the crowd milling round outside. I'm looking forward to finally going home. I come to a large puddle of water Bubbling with simulated fire. Then I realize I'm not wearing shoes, So I just fly over it. Then I realize That I'm not wearing clothes either. And I could not have come to class that way. I don't know the area, And a man tells me which bus to take. I am finally going home. I get off the bus. And it is night. I recognize the old Familiar sidewalk and the drive, The odors of the Cuban restaurant Just next door. Then it slowly comes to me There is no restaurant near my house, That I don't live here at all, Maybe I once did ... sometime in the past ... I find the wooden handles Of long machetes set in the gutter. My travel cane is gone, So I pick up the knives to use instead. And it is night. And the rising wind Smells of winter storm. A man comes to inform me I have been spotted by a black gang. They saw me with the knives, And they are coming to fight. I don't stand a chance with them, Because the knives are gone. I get on the next bus Before the gang has time to react. The gang causes a vehicle To appear in front of the bus So the driver can't pull out. But he finally squeezes the bus around the obstacle. One of the gang is going to shoot me. I dodge behind a passenger So the gang will shoot the passenger instead. But nothing happens, And the bus gets under way. I get off at my apartment. So glad to be finally home. Angie is there, With her grown daughter Olivia. As we talk, listening to music, Olivia hugs and kisses me. Then it starts to dawn on me That Olivia is a child, That she isn't Angie's daughter, That I don't live with anybody, That this couldn't be my place at all; So politely I excuse myself And leave. And then I'm with Midnitesun. And I am telling her About the strange fire that does not burn, About the strange puddle, Boiling with burning water And seething with liquid fire. And I tell her about the strange knives, Of the gang attack that failed, Of finding other people at my place, Even though it really wasn't. And she seems to understand ... Jaime |
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| © Copyright 2004 The Sun - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Yes, she would. Jaime, I've missed you. I know you cannot read other's poetry, but I have a feeling that sometimes Midnitesun reads some of our poetry to you, because you seem to have a sense of us, or, that could be my intuition only.... I am glad you've come back to share with us. I've missed you. |
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garysgirl  
since 2002-09-29
Posts 19237Florida, USA |
Jaime, this is very interesting. It kept me reading fast to see what was going to happen next.  Hugs  Ethel |
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Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
Yes, she does. She does understand, and will always listen. |
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Grover Senior Member
since 2004-01-27
Posts 1967London, ON, Canada |
Extraordinary... start to finish! Grover. |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Jamie...I really enjoyed reading this and didn't want it to end. |
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Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
Time for this one to resurface. Water and fire will always be a steamy combo, destined to birth new thoughts to flow freely upon the winds of time. Starlight, glowing in the skies of forevermore. |
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Dark Angel Member Patricius
since 1999-08-04
Posts 10095 |
Always a pleasure to read you Jaime  Beauty of the world which is soon to perish has two edges, one of laughter and one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder. |
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Paula Finn Member Ascendant
since 2000-06-17
Posts 5546missouri |
Hi Jaime...boy have I missed talking to you...and like others I have missed you...welcome back |
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