Thursday, July 15, 2010


Accelerant

I am the solvent that feeds the flame
The foot to the floor that hurtles the car
I am the deed you want in your name
The border that sets off the civil war.

I am the heat that prickles your neck,
the pushing, the shoving, the loaded deck.
You cannot see me, I’m gas in the pipe.
Don’t fall asleep, I might kill you tonight.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is such a satisfying poem to read from beginning to end. It's imaginative & the fear just creeps up on me(yes I will be more careful tonight!) The poem flows with energy yet controlled which is really wonderful!
Pui

Patricia Markert said...

Thank you Pui. It came from an assignment to write a poem with personification.

Penelope Cake said...

I like this poem. The rhyming plays menacingly off the subject. How did this particular personification come to you?
Pen

Patricia Markert said...

I was looking at the charcoal lighting fluid which I need to light the grill, and thinking of how detectives investigating arson look for the thing that starts the fire. But then a lot of other things came into play also.