Monday, 3 September 2018

Clarity in the Haze

Minus the blistering flesh of hot dogs  
and marshmallows disintegrating on our tongues,  
we tasted smoke camped out in the public square 
as we sat around watching a preview of what’s to come 
while entertainers clad in costumes   
danced, sang and tried to entice us  
to their shows in under three minutes 
(one donned a flaming red boa for added warmth) 

After the screams and ovations, 
we returned, raspy-throated, to our homes, 
everything just as we left it; 
we flicked on screens for the latest updates, 
local air quality reports, 
saw firefighters in heavy charred uniforms  
performing intrepid acts for weeks  
until they were burnt out  
from slouching towards the apocalypse  
with a limp garden hose, 
their helmets emblazoned with varying letters 
that always spell out HERO               

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