October, 2000

The Fire  ©

by  Cerrenna Sellers
 

The blazing sun on my face,
I watch as a house of bricks
falls down with anger.
The raging fire trespasses
and attacks all around it.
The dingy, red fire engine
pulls up with ladders, hoses.
People are shouting for the firemen to hurry,
but the firemen
are going as fast as they can.
They shout to the crowd to move out of the way.
They drag the hoses like they're
playing tug 'o war with the fire truck.
They kick open the portal to the house.
With sweat streaming down their faces,
they step over burning pieces of wood.
Then they realize that
the fire is too powerful.
So they wait,
   and wait,
   and wait,
                         until the fire burns out,
                                          and the people walk away ...
 

Originally published in the North Carolina Poetry Society's
"Award Winning Poems, 2000" 
Used with the permission of the Poet.

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