Warm kiss on my back
Fiery lick in my neck
Roar your fury, bright flame
Take everything, every thing away
The house burns behind me
In it is all I can ever be
I set the fire myself
Let it blacken me whole
They beckon for me to step away
Now they have finally seen
Still they see only my face, unmarred
As I take another step back
“No, no,” I say patiently.
“Save the water for yourselves.”
I wave their buckets away.
“You need it more than I do.”
The skin on my back cracks
Only I smell that odd scent
Only I know my flesh smells of lost hope
“Of course,” I reassure them calmly
“I’ll be just fine,” as they walk away
It is no great sacrifice to me
None of them brought an ocean anyway.