We move from the place of the dead
in a dense cloud of sighs.
The fallen tower carries
flame-consumed human remains.
They are the ashes of ashes to ashes.
Dust of the good, dust of the evil.
I breathe from a sea of the death air.
Who of them is within me,
baked in my lungs, seared in my mouth,
dredged in my ears and in my eyes?
Those who this morning were breathing,
hearing and seeing now rest in me.
I will carry them forever.
I cough; they scream to be released.
I cough and know they wish to escape.
I cough and know they will not.