Trial by Fire

fires burn in my memory
all the buildings
blackened to ashes
offices, homes, and churches
all blazing in the night
why did they never burn by day?

there should be people
stumbling about in nightgowns
huddling on the lawn ... escaping
but all I see are the flames
leaping high in the darkness
leaving cold remains for daylight viewing

some still stand 
as charred skeletons
with alligatored wood and blistered metal
constant reminders of the consequences
when buried secrets 
are threatened with exposure

some are destroyed down to the foundation
stone outlines of walls that once were
holding hidden treasures
melted glass and twisted forks 
stray bits of scorched china 
carefully hoarded mementos of the lost

with the innocence of a child
I believed in protecting things
crediting human emotions to objects
cherishing them as friends
sharing my strength
granting power to charms

our house stood alone
amidst the fields and trees
repeatedly struck by lightning
surrounded by wildfires 
again and again
still it never burned

what magic shielded that house
time and again from infernos  
was it simply the asbestos shingles
maybe the well in the basement
or was it the sorrow and evil 
soaked into the walls

c. 2/20/09, B. Riley