This Fire Poem by Katie Finley

burning inside of me, it’s been
a long time coming. smoldering never felt
this good, throbbing fire veins glowing, heat coursing
through the body—a thumb stroked metal,
taking a lighter to rope-veins doused in gasoline.

burning inside of me, it’s been soaking
in you for too long. veins blue with hottest heat,
little rivers through transparent skin. carrying
an inferno back to the heart. tiny vessels ablaze, your lies
smoking, your touch seared from skin.

afterward there are only ashes, flecks
of memories of things you couldn’t possibly tape
back together. don’t fix this, don’t clean up. ashes
a reminder that you’ve gone up in flames.

set yourself on fire.