New Geography

Glowing embers nip, like carrion birds, this cage of scorching flesh
Spastic ticks map a new geography on skin
but this crucible holds no rebirth
Follow the twisting river deltas
Trace along the ridge of mountains newly molded
from melted fat and sinew
Allow your gaze to track to the awful, untouched face
No flame-wrought sculpting to mar this anachronistic epitaph
of the time before the flame
save eyes that hold in blasted memory
all the fire took