An Ode to Quick Fires

An Ode To Quick Fires

you set my soul on fire
but instead of igniting it to shine
you let me burn to a crisp
in hopes of warming yourself up

so many warnings given to me
"don't get entangled with him"
"he's not good for you"
"tread carefully"

but my ears were too clogged by the opportunity
to explore unknown territory
and go on the adventure of your mind

You started as an existential crisis
the minute I noticed the flame in your eyes
because instead of wanting my usual cold brew of a man
you were an iced vanilla chai latte
and consumption was necessary

my soul knew that ours connected so strongly
in a way that I'd never known before
and the desire for friendship
was stronger than the shouting in my mind
begging like a man on the streets for affection

putting my heart on the burner and
my mind on the frontline for the first time
in order to win you over with my patience
what a war zone
in a fight that broke me

letting you know the one way to hurt me
shouldn't have been an example to follow
instead, a challenge to defeat
but you couldn't protect my heart
from the engulfing flame
of your reckless abandon

the shortest burn I've ever seen
our friendship in ashes like the forest that was unlucky
caring about you used my supply of lighter fluid
so now I'm  left with a soul
longing to be set on fire
with no supplies
except for the memories of what it was like to know a flame

A few weeks of silence and I repeat this to myself over and over
"You can't change someone by loving them harder"
you. can't. change. someone. by. loving. them. harder.

And you cannot control the short and damaging

wildfire flames.