by Barry Vitcov.
I sleep with smoke and fire
dreams and nightmares
of a gentler time
of less intensity
of more compassion
of an absence
of winds stampeding
of feeling safe again
Like a blast furnace
set loose across the landscape
of the roar of lions
of the splash in a pool
of a roof collapsing
of my neighbor’s house in flames
of my house unharmed
of survivor guilt
I breath in your molecules
exhale grief