arson

WORDS:

at the dark red dusk, the monsoon flooded 
raining kerosene and paraffin
trickles of oil lashed like lightning
leaving imprint on wooden windows
the flames upraising like an anthem
and we asked our bloodshot eyes to stop chanting
with smoke engraved in our parched coughing
we watch the arid commodities burn with the heat.
red spices and brown sugar turn to black ash
no matches, no lighters but lulled flames
the black ash swallowing red sand and brown water.
the insatiable wildfire left us no choice
but to watch its blaze soothe our wounds
neighbours whisper like the cackling fire.
omitting the etymology of the flames.
at the dark red dusk, the monsoon flooded
raining kerosene and paraffin
and once it swallowed the house
the desertion of debris and black ashes
heaved like the husks of mangoes.

Buy Rivers of Broken Waters here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rivers-Broken-Water-Hannah-Williams/dp/B0CR4D1L3D

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