BURNT ALIVE

RIP hayden!

"Promise me you wouldn't leave your ole man. Even when you're older and I'm just old, you'll always be my baby girl"

 

The sound of the flames battle with my heart

But the image of you

Strips me of all thoughts.

 

    - listen-

 

The heavy and slow heaving of my breathing

Echoes in a silent mind.

The thick black smoke

Rushing through my nostrils.

My eyes are burning

Tears for you.

 

  -listen-

 

Breath quickens now

Deepens now

Changes now

Into violent groans and sobs

Searching in the dark.

 

Limped across me

The sky cries on us that day

Tears that run down my face

One word comes to mind

"Safe"

 

                                   **********************************************************

 

Painful screams

Grab me out of my dream

Bring me face to face with reality- and you

Lying there as motionless as me

As stoned face as me

Clenching teeth

Denying the outward drought the inward flood.

I dont even hear my own voice as I'm recalling your life

I dont even watch you anymore...

 

 

"Amazing grace. How sweet the song..."

The song is an unwanted reminder

 

  -listen-

 

I'm screaming so only you (and God) can hear

I'm getting a little dizzy

The woman in the white is handing all your close family a white flower

- I dont take it

Just like the song, it rattles the dam I have built

Besides... i have my own...

Flowers

Once so alive

Are now dead.

I won them for you (that Queen show you begged me to enter)

It was just three days too late for you (died believing I could do it)

I believe now too...

 

I can't come near your-

I can't come near your-

Your...

grave.

YOU asked me never to leave you

How could you leave ME?

I'm desperate to hold on

I listen for your voice in the wind

For your scent from the flowers

But you're gone- maybe one day I'll understand that.

 

*************************************************

Its June again (four years since)

And while the flowers bloom

So do my memories of you.

The image of flames peeling away that skin, trying to get a peek of all that love you'd stored within

Still haunt me sometimes.

And the knowledge that you'll never know who I am now

Cuts deeper than the mysterious waters of the ocean.

But I live in my only childhood happiness

The days when I was yours

And you were mine

Promising never to leave your side.

 

 

Author's Note

This is a true story! The only think is that the person wasnt my biological dad but my uncle who was more than a father to me. He died in a fire when the chemical factory he worked at exploded. He was the only employee who died. By the way the first words above the poem are mostly true. We were incredibly close and he used to play around and tell me that when i got older I'd leave him because i'd be so busy. Then he would say " dont leave me . Dont forget about uncle" :( This was the most tragic thing in my life.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

A sad and powerful story. Family will always stay with us. Their memories of kind words and gift of friendship will not be forgotten. The strong description made the story come alive again. Losing someone to a accident is hard to understand. We will always wished to have talks more with the beloved person more. Thank you for the excellent poem.
Coyote