Reduces this matter
This once living, grown dead
Into bone-coloured powder
Into black chalk
Fragrant clouds


That tar everyone’s lungs
This once occasional
Necessity we stumbled upon


Night spotted with the marsh frog
Building future selves from staccato backhands
Filling the gaps in our speech
Once as hasty with replies as yours


Cool air for a summer night
Normal for a season within a cycle
Hot breaths that burnt up the last year


It all comes back
A fire ecologist said
He’d seen, high intensity or low
Same assemblage at climax
The only difference is time


Do you gift yourself the space
To engulf that reaction
On the inhale, do you give thanks
The exothermic removal
The liberation of all that potential