“Some Words for the Week”

there once was fire

in the center of every house

a thing of comfort and heat

a product of sweat and sawing

a summers worth of days

in the forest

stacked in the wood shed

waiting wind dried and ready

to smolder into orange

to make bearable the long dark

of white winter and short days

and we lived forever

huddled around the flames

each night and morning

hands pressed forward

soaking in the heat

there stories were told

babies held, made and grown

there was once fire

in the heart of every home

and now on the mantle

made warm with hot air

blown invisibly without work

lies a television

it’s light white and blank

a billion families

gathered around the empty glow

their bodies searching

every channel for heat

finding only wars

and advertisements

and lies

Alexander Shalom Joseph is a writer from Gilpin County. He has two published books and one more forthcoming in the Fall of 2022. For more information and to subscribe to Alexander’s Newsletter go to alexandershalomjoseph.com