Three Matches Until an Empty Box

Three

Both sinners and saints are born

hungry with their teeth knocked out

The holy comedy under their tongue

and caked in their ears.

The humor, of course, is of equal footing

both holy and hell-worthy screaming-

screaming for the hunger to end.

The matches were once like that,

the first gnashing of gums-

I burned them just for fun.

Careless hands lead to casual fires

but darkness has a way of making

arson look a lot like art.

To a chain smoker, the matches

are a means to an end.

The pleasure is derived from the

act of inhaling the nicotine,

from swallowing smoke.

To a forest fire, the matches are a means

to a different kind of end.

the pleasure is derived from dying,

the act of inhaling and

stoking the flame.

Two

I, too, have become a slave

to the match strip, because

surely- surely!- this is how god

would have felt if he could

have seen how his greatest creation

was born solely to destroy.

The communion table of my childhood

was decorated with murmured prayers for

patience and candles dripping wax made of

forgiveness I could not baptize myself in.

My life has been divided up into

match-stick sins, each struck

to light a candle I have burned to the ground.

One

Because, in reality, the chain smokers

and the burning forests are just

lighting their own candles on

an alter to say their prayers at.

The oxidation of our blood is simply

our bodies atoning for their sins- as

I am burning up with ambition and pride

he is on the verge of burning down with desire

Ours and every other solar system

rotates around a star that shines

and that will someday up and burn out-

every time I am faced with this undeniable truth,

I am forced to remember that first communion,

how the blood of the savior tasted

a lot like soured grapes;

how bleached oyster crackers

are just calories to be burned and suddenly!-

we are back to the fire.

combustion on a cellular level requires a catalyst,

and even the punishment of hell requires first, a sin.

red tipped cigarettes wouldn’t burn without a lighter

and most forest fires start from within.