FIRESIDE

FIRESIDE

knees diagonal to the ground
mom’s sweater resting on your
back – sweeping near sand
frozen toes protrude scuffed
sandals

heartless is the forest in night
color vanishes from the sky
bodies shake with seizure
shivers crawl up your spine
standing – nearer to a source
of light growing brighter

a fireside – smell of wood
faces red as heat multiplies
clutched within tiny hands
a sturdy twig

a stillness – waiting your turn
thoughts captured by flames –
a plastic bag passed along
two fluffy marshmallows
placed on a twig

promptly toasting, eating -
observing the amount left
in the bag - counting to yourself.

Nancy Duci Denofio
all rights reserved
a collection of work
published in 1991