“What,”

you may enquire

is…

“Playing with fire?”

‘A little harmless fun’

never hurt any one!

Right?

*

Fire

sometimes …

a friend so true,

spreading

comfort and warmth

in flickering tongues of many a hue.

Cosy.

*

Flames

flow freely

entertain and energise

dance and mesmerise

lift spirits, link souls

while huddled round

campfires as stories are told.

*

Fire

helps and heals

Except

when ‘play’

gets out of hand.

Matches are struck and

fingers are singed.

*

Houses

are torched by

careless comments cast

upon the winds

lives burnt by

wagging tongues

gossip’s malicious fire.

*

“Playing with fire”

dangerous desire

raging out of control

like a prairie wildfire

devastates far more than

the fool who strikes the match.

They, along with their world… incinerate.

*