FIRESIDE
knees diagonal to the ground
mom’s sweater resting on my
back – sweeping near sand –
frozen toes protrude
scuffed sandals
heartless is the forest
in the night – when color
vanishes from the sky, bodies
shake with siezure as shivers
crawl up your spine
now standing near a source
of light, growing brighter –
a fireside, a source of kindling
wood – face red as heat warms
my body
clutched in tiny hands
a sturdy twig
a stillness in the forest
waiting for my turn, as my
eyes stare directly into flames
finally, a plastic bag is passed
along – two fluffy marshmallows
attached to a twig –
promptly toasting, eating and
observing the amount left in
the bag – I count to myself
Nancy Duci Denofio
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