I prayed the words were enough
put to page in an effort
to find salvation beyond the flames
looking back I see the char
acres shifted from green to black
destruction mounted where I passed

ruins scatter in my sight
even when I look away
across the landscape inward set
you may ask how the poems
absolve the wreckage God has blessed
by the broken they provoked

I’ll vex the heat to absolve
exclaim the stanzas loud enough
quench the anger in my heart
no longer will the flames consume
the innocent that don’t deserve
immolation by consequence

in the end the smoke will drift
reminder of the holocaust
that nearly ended all there was
fair verse sent by muses’ grace
redemption granted in response
when words search for deliverance.

© 2018. Sean Green. All Rights Reserved. 20180816.