Fire Poem by Meena Kandasamy
Fire
Black satanic fumes
shroud the blank blue skies
in puffing jet black soot;
few flashy cameras record
glimpses of destruction
(for tomorrow's papers) ...
Our huts are burning—
Regular huts in proper rows.
Dry thatches (conspirators-in-crime)
feed the flames as we rush out
shrieking-crying-moaning
open mouthed hysterical curses
and as if in an answer—
when the blazing work is done
Fire engines arrive...
Deliberately late.
These feverish cries continue
in the same shrilly pitch
echo, echo, echo and
finally reach...
Up there.
Reverberate and sound as loud
as snail shells crackling under nailed boots
and perhaps as distinct and defenseless.
This double catastrophe projected in sights
and shrieks evokes...
No response.
Those above are (mostly) :
indifferent bastards.
A sad reality indeed of the present time. Nicely done. Congrats.
Black satanic fumes! ! With the wickedness of mankind on earth. Thanks for sharing this poem with us.
Horrors of a frightening inferno where everything is charred before help could reach. This is really heart wrenching. Thanks.
What a fierce imagery that evokes anger. I am touched and sad. Expertly penned.
Powerful visual imagery brought out through great diction. I applaud you fellow poet
Powerful visual imagery brought out through great diction. I applaud you fellow poet!
p.s. meena, you remind me in your writing of poet naomi shihob nye. if you don't already know her, i think you'll like her. -gk
Meena, if you read this, first I want to say I’m impressed with your writing craft, the vividness of your images—Dry thatches (conspirators-in-crime) and Reverberate and sound as loud as snail shells crackling under nailed boots—most stand out to me. Your passion, intensity, permeate this poem. Good stuff! -Glen Kappy
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/22/2024 2:53:19 AM # 1.0.0.1119
Oh my! brings me a nostalgia of a past..a dharmapuri../ kizvenmani..or kizvenil..] Thanks for this poem, which brings me my ire.at height.. Opened mouth curses .... why all is at fraught, never reaches those..?