Scott Simpson · Poetry

Controlled Burn

Use For Kindling · source pages 89

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Source page 89

Controlled Burn

We can do this by the book—

dry forest, raked clear, set flame

and watch it stay exactly

where we say it should.

Or—

we can build a clearing and let

the students strike the match, watch

what lights up, what leaps.

It might catch the trees. It might

race the wind. It might become

wildfire.

But we’ll be there— watching

the sparks, whispering, Yes.

That’s the lesson.