fire - by Amy Belding Brown

fire

by Amy Belding Brown

fire
in the night --
bright blistered flares
measure the horizon,
and the reporter says
the sky is sparkling,

but this is war
and the most evil
truth is that it's
almost beautiful.

my eyes are sutured
to new blindness now;
and sadly ever after
I will look up at planes --
and think of
fire

October 10, 2001