Lava Lover

woman dark-
skinned stands
near
ground, smoking
mother
to volcano

has she lost
all?

somewhere
in the universe
flying robots send
images

man
in suit
speaks

people sprint
through dirt streets
dodge cattle throwing
bottle rockets

men in
uniformity never change
expression

technological experience
matters
little

each
fledgling learns to
fly on its
own

her deep rich
eyes are
brown as
earth
as color of a
child's hair
as sweetness of
chocolate
kisses

her flaming
hair
a purifying
fire
coals preparing a
feast
rusted
hinges on our
sabotaged
past

does she
wait for the
earth to put
forth its first
seedling of the new
season
or

does she
wait for the
earth to swallow
her
up?

 © John Kennan, 2000