Grounded Fire

Starwoven: A Story in Verse - Chapter 5

GROUNDED FIRE 


goggles
deep in her sling pack
Red
dashing for escape

unexpected
Poppy

Indeed.
emerging
hidden by
convenient shadows
Zophia
twisted her attention
her husband
how he tousled Red’s curls

something tugged

suddenly—
Red
stiffly before her
Zophia sneered

flash of regret

her fingers closed
gripped the sling pack

briefly carried back
barefoot
wide-eyed
a cracked window
sky stretching forever
she blinked

best to forget
always best

Zophia—
half-baked sentiment
or
dangerous memory

girded steel
plucking the sling pack

then away

Red crumbled
swooshed
the door closed

not about the goggles
not about Mum
… about …
she wasn’t wrong

One day they’d all know.

 

grounded
dinner alone
loved Mum
probably
mostly
didn’t like her

Red pouted
stabbed her food
how to
get the goggles back

then—
Little One?

Red hurled
into Poppy

overwhelmed
he dropped
the goggles

Red
delighted
squealed

Shhhh!
Mum mustn’t know.

then—
Echo
much heavier
now

Poppy saw
Oh dear.
his voice softened
Well …
some things…
some things
are for you
to reach for.

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