Wednesday, February 18, 2009

What We Could Have Lost to the Fire

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We could have lost the house to the fire,

you say as I inspect the damages.

Not enough to make an insurance claim,

I say as you leave the house

with the kids to wait until the fumes

totally dissipate.

It could have been worse, I say,

it could have been worse.

But you have already driven away

and I continue to inspect the damages

and proceed to throw away the burned fan

and apply the chemicals to wipe away

the soot.

The fire just got to the surface this time.

The sooty film will be washed off.

But the memory will certainly live on.

It could have been worse, I say

as I spray  Clorox onto the counter

and wait for the chemical to work its magic.

It could have been worse.

© Ernesto González, 2009