Funneling

    Entering the chamber that boasted no access, a wall of wailing creatures barred the way but did not deter the lava from taking its victims by the throat and sucking out all of their life juice.

    The volcano emitted the most putrid of grimaces, seizing the land with arrogant derision, and what was once lush and green lay flattened and ashy gray in the aftermath.

    A war was fought at the base of the mountain, in circles the fighters beat at their own chests and mutilated their own faces until the vultures flew in to serve as masks and to fawn sadistically over the loss of the others.

    Like a twisted carousel of dead ponies and princesses, the sinister upheaval that was your glance fell upon the happy dandelions, quickly putting out their weak flames which they had borrowed from the sun at the moment the solstice turned her head away from the road to catch a glimpse of yesterday’s apologetic smile.

    Dismantling the notion of time itself, premonition makes its way into the straw, lights a match, and sets her free.

    And she is none the weaker…only brighter and more steadfast, as necessity deems fit.

    The smoke is invisible to her and not even the scalding of such partially-penitent souls will move her as she enjoys life and looks to the future, claiming all that is genuine as her own manifesto.

 

Jennifer Burnside