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The Week In Fire

Posted by ivoryfishbone on March 15, 2008 - 15:03

First, rolled fast between two hands
twisted on itself and settled in the grate
the Sports section, unread.
There's pleasure in touching a match
to the serrated edge, thinking
fire eats footballers, rolls up their knee socks
licks along their shorts. They go up well
man made, their muscles and their hairstyles
turned to ash. The next day Work, the articles
on management, the adverts for the jobs -
they make a cosy bed for kindling and coal.
Then Travel. We can't afford to go away,
even on a shoestring to a family hotel or
to resorts where we can zoom across the rims
of waves on water motorbikes. No. We stay at home
in front of the fire, reading the Review
and dreaming of our own bestsellers making it
to teeter on the top of lists that burn last.

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Comments

Dendrite | March 15, 2008 - 20:14

I like this very much, it means a number of things all at once, even the title. The simple pleasuse of burning a newspaper examined with great humor and insight.

camilla | March 15, 2008 - 23:16

Not poverty of thought then! I would burn the footballers first too. The only thing I might have added was something about how paper burns or doesn't but it is enjoyable just as it is.

littleditty | March 16, 2008 - 09:22

like this -and im a footy fan! great image of burning them first and the review section last,lots of story in the poem -wanted to snip 'the' before jobs...is that bad of me? :o Enjoyed

ruminator | March 16, 2008 - 22:15

Oh yes, a great poem. Agree with it all, but I too would take out 'the' before jobs. The images you create are brilliant, we have all been there. Why not send it to one of the fat Sunday papers? There's so much of them which 'goes to the fire' like the burning of the leaves.
Well done,
ruminator.