ALCHEMY OF FIRE

 

The tinder-box of city streets; and a lighter:

how squads rush, restrain, and kettle; so nothing stands.

How fire, electrics, demand to be made stronger, bright,

so you feed, stand and be judged; their light

incinerates value, connection as they plunder, despoil.

And how you huddle over the grate, serve it

with bended knee and back, take out its night-soil,

it’s used-up corpses.