Lakefront Property

a lingering sadness lives
with every open and close of the door
feasting
moving from one end of the room
then to the other
pirouetting
no one is immune
the darkness hides the eyes
only exposing with the incoming headlights
like film they are ruined in the light
everyone feels
it
those who say they don't,
feel it harder
with every drink
the rotted teeth throb
hoping
praying
the poison takes control
gasoline will never put out a flame
in a place as dry as this
nothing can

like all good fires
it gets worse before the tide washes in
the full moon is never more than a month away
some stumble in the gravel
destined for the road
recoiling in the terror of the night
retreating to the dumpsters
their fire is about to spread

for those left standing after the inferno
the sun rises
the damage cannot be undone
but learned from
the prairies thrive in fire
they are tough
the weeds though,
are not
they will not survive
and will end up decaying on the ground
or behind the dumpsters.
when smoke settles
seeds sprout and spread,
a new element absorbs the land
-life-
it cannot-
-will not
be held at bay
the flowers flourish with an exuberance
once thought to be extinct
it will remain
only until the weeds return
and the air grows dry