Trapped by Flames

House ablaze, hissing, dying
Crimson anguish
My daughter upstairs, alone
Helpless

Firetruck – red, loud, racing, screech
HELP ME! MY BABY!!
Trapped in her room!

Silent turn
Rush to the door, mask on
Heart pounding, seconds ticking
Legs like pistons
Crouch to the floor, below the boiling smoke
The selfish flames
Hurtle up the stairs, hands and knees,
Down the hall, Grab her,
Shaking arms tight round his neck
Tears on his coat

Dead weight, limp, heave
Through the gauntlet
A life spared, others saved a lifetime
Of pain, of loss
A day at the office
Life and death – timed.


Raymond A. Foss
October 21, 2001 22:20
Thoughts as I was trying to finish the closing arguments draft for Zoll v. City of Cleveland for Civil Procedure; how to get away from regulations to what the tests were about. I actually read it aloud as part of mock closing arguments in front of my class of over 120 people. Got some laughs but it was a fun memory of 1st semester law school.

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 18,700+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.