FIRE

I remember the grass
of summer, prickly dry
a match away 
from going up
in smoke
I remember the fire ants
that found the space
between my toes
and chewed me alive
while I tried
to flicked them away
they, tenacious
in their feeding
ferocious in their
clamps, the pain
so fierce tears
could not quench
the flames

© Valerie Bridgeman
June 12, 2013