Receiving the call of the destroying fire
Made me wonder why I wasn’t crying.
She just gave me the worst news yet—
A familiar soul lost due to that disgusting cigarette.

I left the phone sitting on the table,
Went numbly to my room
Before ever truly thinking it through—
Before ever opening my floodgate’s doors.

As the tears swelled, spilled over my cheeks,
I brought his gruff, chubby face to my third eye.
Smiling laughing, I could still clearly remember,
But soon enough even that was just a pile of dying embers.

So much gone wrong by a little white stick,
So much stolen by that forgotten stomp.
Flames engulfed his peaceful home—
Ruining the images I tried to hold.

My second father, my uncle by law,
My favorite person no longer capable of breathing—
Gone forever and I’ll never see him;
I feel the crying getting stronger.

Joining the silent tears are my quick breaths of lonesomeness.
I can’t keep withholding this—
The whine and screams now take me under.