September 6th

This year the season turns
Muddy yellow
The close sluggish sky a reminder of
Fires past
Fires to come
I clean the chimney
And sweep the ashes
In a haze of smoke
All the way up
Up
Into the sky
There is no sky
Just smoke and smoke

In the basement I stack wood
Fuel for future fires
Fires for tomorrow
And for everyday thereafter
And after
And after

Fires for the death of trees
Fires for warmth
Fires for smoke
To block our vision
Of the coming fall