Where Your Sister Danced in Other Years We Flee and Shelter

at first

we thought it was fireworks in the parking lot

a flare aimed into night

and not into bodies

we saw a fire openthe sky filled with grass and screaming

the smoke a grenade in our lungs

we saw the line of scorchinghow it came

out of nowhere

the power returned and died again

like a slumber party

there was ice cream

and helicopters

we played pianowe were either

safe or trapped

some of us hid in the attic

we prayedwe waited

for the end of a fireone of us never returned to

it didn’t seem realwhen they said we could leave

we asked are you sure are you sure

the ground went on sparking around us

our parents were desperateto learn we were breathing

I love you that was the last thing we

didn’t think this could happen here

inside a grip of smoke

it disappeared

we could not see the ocean