THE INCENDIARY

For M.N.  

How long did you consider that lit match between your fingers

before tossing it into the leaves,

and, cartoonlike, it blew up in your face?

I hope it was a long, long

time.

Careless, careless

Prometheus.

Product of these hell-bound days.

Did you yearn to keep a beacon lit,

or just slash and burn the Foe?

No.

There was no call of "FIRE!" in the theater.

You had every right.

This is America! after all.

The land of insulation, between

word and consequence - 

become a nation of flames.

Petty wrongs in the name of "rights"

like children sticking out their tongues at

each other, unmindful of the window between

now cracked and drafty with the times...

But, your rights aside now.

Right and wrong, aside now.

Lost in the firestorm, weren't they all?

For that I'm truly sorry.