Oakland Fire

December 10, 2016

We lay together arms entwined
high school sweethearts
fearful heartful
our eyes flame-blind
as we burned to death
exchanging smoke breaths
your lips to mine
until love was all
And we were found dead
of Oakland fire
onlookers gazing in horror
our ashes to ashes pose
You were my only love
all I cared about
We could have died of old age
could have broken up
some petty thing
some jealous anger
But we died in love and desire
in fiery love in flowery fire
in soul and smoke
Had a fortune teller told us our fate
I would not have
changed my destiny
so long as I was with you with me
Love is all love is
and we loved
and we were so blessed
Mourners will whisper
we died before our time
we died unfulfilled and young
No, Mother, Father
we preceded you is all is love
reached our infinite
from fire new life
and our star flesh was one
We died in love and desire
in the art-strewn detritus
of an Oakland fire
in fiery love in flowery fire

About Eugene Jones Baldwin

I am a writer: non-fiction, fiction, journalism (Alton Telegraph), essays (The Genehouse Chronicles) and have a website: eugenebaldwin.com. I've published a couple dozen short stories and had eleven plays produced. Current projects: "Brother of the Stones" (available on Kindle), a book of short stories; "The Faithful Husband of the Rain, short stories"; "A Black Soldier's Letters Home, WWII,;" "There is No Color in Justice," a commentary on racism; "Ratkillers," a new play. I am an avocational archaeologist and I take parts of my collection of several thousand Indian artifacts (personal finds) to schools, nature centers, libraries etc. and talk about the 20,000 year history of The First people in Illinois. (See link to website) I'm also a playwright (eleven plays produced), musician, historian (authority on the Underground Railroad in Illinois, the Tuskegee Airmen) and teacher.
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