poison and fire

a few fingers loosely tied to the first
the other hand palmed firmly around the other
these poisons begin their toll
as our slow motion dance into uncertainty begins

the tasks were minimal
and the night was typical
before i saw you standing there
on the very walls i lean so frequently
and lit a fire that had been dying embers for some time
and left me light
light as i exited, light as i journeyed,
light and empty again
longing for something outside these dead end streets

this town burnt a hole in my heart tonight
deep but unseen
beneath the fire guiding all else in this crazy place
as 21st century pool sharks line up one more shot,
order one more glass,
and inhale one last hit
and continue into uncertainty
and i realize these poisons might kill me one day
these poisons might kill me one day
and save me from the fire