Incinerate
The Last Flame Challenge
The Fool
loudly contends
“There’s no danger in
‘Playing with fire’!
A little harmless fun
never hurt any one!
Right?”
*
Fire
ushered in
like a friend so true
unfolds a warm
comforting blanket
in flickering tongues of many a hue.
Cosy.
*
Flames
flare, flitter and flow
a cloud of golden butterflies
dance and mesmerise
lift spirits, link souls
warm hands and hearts as campfire yarns are
Spun.
*
Fire’s
an obliging buddy
Except when ‘Play’
runs amok.
Matches are struck
foolhardy fingers get
Singed.
*
Home and hearth
are torched by
careless comments cast
upon the four winds
lives burnt by wagging tongues
Gossip’s malicious
Inferno.
*
“Playing with fire”
dangerous desire
raging out of control
like a ravenous bushfire
annihilates far more than the Fool who strikes the match.
They, along with their whole world…
Incinerate.
*
Verbal Arson!
Avoidable devastation
callous destruction!
Well placed Trust and timely Truth quench
Envy and Evil until
one enduring ember glows… then
Winks out.
*
Written for The Last Flame challenge:
About the Creator
Angie the Archivist 📚🪶
Labrador‘s personality🐕🦺… attention span of a gnat! 🙃
Top Stories: Race Against Time; Elusive Parkrun; Painting Pandemonium
The Quandry; A Parade Of Shoes; Shadow of You; Her Majesty Mia



Comments (12)
Great poem Angie. I was reminded of this last night. The neighbors were doing fire works out in the street in front of my house, - the sparks were flying in my yard. Great quote of Jays -" incinerate ... incarcerate". Flames flare, flitter and flow, ----Congratulations on Top Story- Well deserved. Although I would like to incinerate a few people with words.
I really liked how you showed that fire can be both cozy and dangerous. Your message about how words can hurt like a fire is very powerful and important. It is a great reminder for everyone to be kind. Congratulations on your Top Story!
The extended fire metaphor is brilliantly sustained each stanza adds heat, consequence and moral clarity.
Dear Angie - Good to see you back in the VillageBucket. We have a family vacation beach house, and on the 4th always do fireworks on the sand. This year, the roving police patrol made a subtle comment, Quote: "Incinerate~Incarcerate." Best, jk.in.l.a.
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Great poem, Angie! I particularly liked the "verbal fire" metaphor. A lot of times, people forget how devastatingly scorching the power of words can be.
Nicely done, Angie! 🤩 Best of luck! And I really loved this line: - lives burnt by wagging tongues Gossip’s malicious Inferno.-
Whoaaaa, this was so intense and deep! Loved your poem!
Nice job, Angie. The way we can incinerate someone with words… playing with fire is dangerous. Well said in this beautiful poem.
And that's what happens when we play with it instead of respect it! Beautiful, Angie.
Fabulous writing Angie!
I love the way this builds, and burns!