aground, aflame, asoar

to dig with pickaxe

a chop chop sound

arrhythmic in exercise,

ground broken

rocks, worms, roots

yields a hole cleared.

spread and clear,

arms muddy

dirt under fingernails,

this is safe earth

a stone felloe

and spoke of small sticks,

arid grass, branches cracked to fit.

rat-proportioned teepee

in it and of it

hoarded material

meant for burning,

for refuge.

like pocket knife, scrap paper

folded for a dull edge

scraped fingernails

then to penetrate

the wooden ingress

with Prometheus’ goods

filling epergne

barbaric.

smoke wove

up through centerpiece

intertwined like skinned races

then flame

engulfing them all the same.

up and up

ash rose as bats

around the form of man

arms, hairy neck and face,

mouth tasted it

nose inhaled it

eyes watered into it

the ears did nothing but feel the heat.

parry branches

                wind

the canopy

to find all the space,

between here and the moon,

to dissipate into