The In- Betweeners

We are the In-Betweeners

gathered round the fire.

The flames will cleanse,

they said,

purify,

make you fit

to fly.

And you can watch 

the ones below

flickering

dancing

flaring

alight,

a living fire

of the impure dead.

Gather round!

Listen to them 

as they crackle

and scream.

It’s only hot enough here

to purify, 

they said,

but it’s still too warm

much too warm

hot as hell it seems.

Only enough to purify, 

they said

hell is hotter,

surely not.

So here we are, 

the In-Betweeners 

too warm 

but still

not feeding the flames.

They say there’s a heaven 

that the pure can reach 

when they grow wings 

and fly above the flames

but how can they?

It’s too warm 

for wings

not to singe

not to frazzle

surely.

So gather round,

it’s here we’ll stay

too warm

but not in flames

and careful not to fall

below.

https://www.bowerygothic.com/poetry-2019#the-in-betweeners