Such flamework
such fire
such fury
The once-firm rubber tire
burst and melted
into a trail
of liquid white
Such transformation
by violence
‘All knowledge or device
that Man has reached or wrought’*
perhaps amounts to nought
So in the end, there is simply this:
crazed tangle of rusted metal
crushed skeletons of chairs
charred interior
chassis ribboned in cordon
Ineffectual
soothed only by nature’s
gunmetal grey sky
© 2022 experimentsinfiction.com. All Rights Reserved.
*From Kipling’s ‘Non Nobis Domine‘
Sharing with earthweal
It’s Open Link Weekend at earthweal, and yesterday I went for a drive up to the edge of the Lake District. I found this burnt-out car and it seemed somehow to speak of many things.
This poem speaks to me of the havoc and violence men perpetrate on this planet daily, toward the earth and each other. A sad truth. Excellent poem, Ingrid.
Thank you, Jeff: I think such things are at the forefront of many people’s minds right now.
You’re welcome, Ingrid. Always. I agree with you completely.
Quite sad what war has done to humanity and is eminently going to do. 😌 Such a touching poem, Ingrid.
Thank you, Lamittan, I am feeling pretty sad right now.
I too. It’s a pity what a few people want to lead the whole world into 😌. Feel most welcome.
‘perhaps amounts to nought’ – is right. Well done, Ingrid.
I didn’t wanna say it outright, without the ‘perhaps,’ but…yes! Thanks Nick x
The deeper meaning in this really resonates. An excellent poem.
Thank you, Hobbo: I didn’t want to write a straight war poem, there being a preponderance of these already on WordPress!
It is such a serious subject, we need to approach it with caution and not levity.
So much sadness right now, Ingrid. The world burning. The burned car can definitely be a metaphor. . .
(but I probably watch and read too many mysteries because my mind went to covering up a crime.)
I hope your Lake District trip was otherwise soothing. 💙
Well, there was the Police tape! I couldn’t find out much except it happened about a week ago and took some time to put the fire out…
Yikes!
To see the world through a poet’s eyes. Poetess Ingrid, your poem is thought-provoking, and you have created memorable phrases and imagery, as you do. 👏🏻
Thank you for your kind words of appreciation Michele 🙏
A burned-out car becomes a symbol of widespread death and destruction. War literally takes lives, but it also destroys structures human lives have been spent creating…To me, both are highly immoral acts. We are here on earth to create…not to destroy!
The photo and the poem are both tragic and touching, Ingrid. Reading the poem, I can smell the stench of burning rubber and toxic chemicals, and I wonder how many people died here. Thank you for expressing the sadness we are all feeling.
Cheryl, I want to allay some of the horror evoked by this image, and assure you that this was ‘just’ an act of vandalism in which no people were hurt. But I felt that it stood for a lot more: the violent and destructive instincts of humankind, which we must somehow learn to rise above ❤️
Is it realated with the current going war between the two countries?
Metaphorically speaking, yes.
Good.🙂
Beautiful poem ❤️
Thank you 🙏
An amazingly apt photo and words to match. Yes, this seems to be what we have come to. (K)
‘Knowledge and device’ only get us so far…
Burnt out everythings happening now. So well written, Ingrid.
So sad. Nature seems to laugh at the vanity of human wishes…
Burnt out vehicles are a ruination of purpose, like gutted apartment buildings or underwater churches. Sad Earth reclaims her lost while we stay itchy with matches.
Sadly, this seems to be the case…
Such atrocities that are hard to bare and. Guttural you so well describe Ingrid. Sending love 💕
Thanks Cindy: at least in this case the only casualty was the car itself! 💕
since the first fire, men have reveled in the flames. perhaps the gods were right to punish Prometheus ~
Perhaps! It’s a useful but dangerous knowledge.