the creativity is bubbling up
boiling and broiling
until a mess ends up over the sides of the pot
roiling down the sides
and onto the stove itself
and the question is:
was the creative endeavor one that would
put the flame that ignited the creative spark
out
or
is it one that is incendiary and will
continue to burn
until it consumes
the whole house?
the fires
spread through my imagination
and burn up my sleeping dreams
to alert me
when i awake
to check on LA friends
and see how they’re doing
this morning
christmas eve dreams
of arson with three sisters and me
to make a new life for ourselves
outside of the oppressive home
but loving our family enough
to have failsafes in place
just in case
just in case
but the strangest part of the dream
wasn’t the reasoning,
or the 1800’s garb against
1900’s cityscape buildings,
or even the minute details of the
arson
itself —
it was the fact that the next day
we had to do it all again, the house
magically un-burned
everyone’s memories erased
except for ours
except for ours
[and why did it go so much worse
the second time around?]
fall up
into
the sepia-toned sky
reverse the wind
and take me to the fires
let me watch the world actually burn
instead of seeing the apathetic response
of humanity smolder
oh space heater
shaped like a wood fire
glowing with false embers
warm my bones
and dry my socks
and let this floor-sitting/floor writing
be worth it
it’s been a while
since we’ve turned on
the space heater
designed to
emulate a place with fire
and though i know
sitting right in front
will slightly singe my skin
and the way i sit
will hurt my back
and the floor really isn’t the best
place to be to write these poems
but damn
if it’s going to get cold
outside
the least i can do
is give myself
the little pleasures
that make it all
slightly
bearable
a good trip
a quick one, but
a good trip.
a flight cancelled/stood-by/delayed
but arrived,
chill hangout time,
a birthday celebrated,
weeds pulled up,
min-golf putt-putted,
a bonfire burned,
many movies watched,
and resident foxes identified.
a good trip
a quick one, but
a very good trip.
a chill,
low-key,
relaxed,
un-pressured,
lazy summer day,
Tom Hanks movie-watching,
just spending time with each other
kind of a visit
and it sure seems
that was what
both of us
needed.
campfire
noun
a small fire at a campsite or in a yard, usually circular and often surrounded by stones or bricks
bonfire
noun
1) a large fire at an event or celebration
2) what the Farr/Twitchell household called our campfires
gas fire
noun
a confusing accoutrement that allows a fire to be maintained on a wooden deck for immediate morning enjoyment on a daily basis
see also: vacation bliss
kipventures 