The Fireman Finds the Poet

I lifted him from the ashes
letters fell from his mouth
poached eyes glazed by fire
cinder curls falling to earth, 

the dagger of a pen encased
in his tightly written fingers
pockets stuffed with papyrus
soaked in the fuel of dreams, 

I sifted through his effects
springs from Greek machines
ends jammed into beginnings
elliptic pulley on plain strings, 

inside the lining of his breast
I found a flower and a wolf's paw,
under his nails I found gold dust
and in his mouth a tongue of smoke.

John G. Hall

If you have any comments on this poem, John G. Hall  would be pleased to hear from you.