Love Poem: When The Bed Burns
Susan Ashley Avatar
Written by: Susan Ashley

When The Bed Burns

Tongues of solar flares  writhe  in combat kiss
—flame-throwers unleashed
iron words  h a m m e r e d  in fire   
ferrous words melt as heart-welts once under skin
hear the fevered air burn with cheers;  
                
   c a c k l e s  of  c r a c k l e s  and  h  -i  -s  -s

bellies of tears full of fire;  fire feeds on gasoline tears
  
  fire-eaters’  —bellies  full of flames
           turn inside-out as fire-breathers 

bonfire of marital bliss consumed by wildfire
desolation burns holes in lacy   i  n* t  i* m  a* c  y
ashes fall from cigarettes       nuclear winter in summer

t h r o a t s  of songbirds   c h a r r e d    

     .  .   . silence .  .   .

follows blaring —w  h  o  o  s  h— of serpent fire
      
purification of exuberant sound

liability  and  liberation
         animates in snaky smoke of HeLL-wraiths

apathy clouds form     they rain on red heat
       smother a smolder       mother a cease fire
  ember ice   scalds    freezes     t–h–a–w–s
whets flesh   — and wets fire extinguished flower bed

ashes laid down  
    —passion’s quiet confetti  paves a path—
                          
                          w. a. i. t. s      

— s l e e p s                

                                      … d  r  e  a  m  s