Evening Fire

Positive vibes waft up
from the cleanup.
She sweeps
the dried leaves up into a pile.
Bending her backbone,
she looks a typical wife
with practical wisdom.
The fire that blooms
in her yard
in the summer
is a recurrent sight.

Just a spark;
the fallen wake up.
Flames energize.
Red petals cast their splendor
in her face,
dispelling darkness.
A variety of evil pests
burn to ashes in her mind.

First published in The Literary Hatchet.