Firesong
Flames above us
Flames below us
Flames around us
But here within us:
Peace.
Flames to the north of us
Flames to the south of us
Flames to the east and the west of us
But here in each other's arms:
Peace.
Thunder in the skies above us
Explosions in the street outside of us
Stolen cars roaring down the street beside us
But here in the darkened room between us:
Only peace.
Hatred between black and white
Hatred between young and old
Hatred between law and disorder
But in the shapes of this place of peace:
Only love.
Close the window, my love,
and pull down the blind.
Tomorrow we will pick our way
past the firebombed pubs
and burnt-out cars.
Tomorrow the accusations
will fly back and forth.
Tomorrow we shall try to make sense
of how the devil's work was done this night.
Tomorrow will begin
the attribution of blame.
Tomorrow's a few short hours away.
So let us now live in this moment
in this place
at this time
Of peace.
July 7, 2001
The morning after the Bradford riots
