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

When The Bed Burns

Tongues of solar flare  writhe  in combat kiss
     —flame-throwers unleashed
iron words  h a m m e r e d  in fire   
      ferrous words melt-morph into 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 -s

bellies of tears full of fire; fire feeds on gasoline tears
  
     fire-eaters’ —bellies full of flames
               turn inside-out; fire-breathers shape-shift
      from love doves to squawk hawks

bonfire of marital bliss consumed by wildfire
desolation burns holes in lacy  i  n* t  i* m  a* c  y
  ashes 
           fall 
                from 
                       s o l o     
                                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 in cremation of all OratiOn sound

     liability  and  liberation
animate to dissipate 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 w a l k s                

                                      … d  r  e  a  m  s