Sand Fire (or The Pool, 2016)

Douglas Kearney

                 Chlorine & smoke lit our eyes

since it was we swam while fire made

a boxer's ear of sky—

   sweet, let go the side:

you'll be fine—you dove

         your violet ring from deepest cool—

                      just let me worry—while my blood, karo

& slick guts: how it is now—

                 know how far the burning by

                 how small those first responders fly

                 at soot-bruised afternoon's skin—

my guts crack slick knuckles,

metformin putting work in deep—

your hitch at “how'd it start?”—

                   you know yellow weather lights the litter,

spattered oil, common saltwort—

              don't breathe outside for days—

                               copters ring around & spill

to slow the flower—you goggle water & what “fire's gonna”

eat eat sweet yes o though not ours this time because

              —let me worry over burning, over

drowning, how this molasses blood loiters,

over how we go below that which just happens—

                               hold your breath &

deeper deeper then, until you

             daughter, come up clutching

             what's under

             —come back striking

             what's above.