Eating the Heart That Gives Out in Fear by Samantha Melamed

We left in a hurry so there’s nothing left for you in the house
but if you look out the window you can see the encroaching flames
gutting the town along their warpath
save the only church still standing on Ash Street

At noon you count the bulbous heads of the dandelions
at 3pm the sparrows line up on the telephone wires across the street
one by one they jump from the wire
flail their wings a little then plunge a brief pause the next one goes
each bird shivers with fear but one’s show
of gall and bravery inspires confidence in the next one to do the same
behind them is a white wall of smokea false snow sky in September

By sunset the yellow dandelion heads will close folding inward
so that you will only see the ashy clouds atop the weeds
of the ones already moving on past this nonsense