The Stove

ignite the sapphire and tangerine 

turn the dial right

bigger bigger bigger

its sharp crimson tongue begins to swipe

it wants to taste to me I can tell

a finger or the pad beneath my thumb

I could let myself simmer here

a fire so tame even in its strength

unlike the beast that dwells beneath my ribs

for she I cannot not refrain from

for she

who has melted my skin time and time again

my outsides and insides always flame to full crimson

no control panel

I tremble and shutter and burst and shatter and

ultimately fall to a shivering ash

for she always leaves me cold

but this is safe

predictable, malleable

I could allow it to hold me

to be inside, to hover

it’s all up to me, no counterparts to spindle it back

smaller and smaller

force me to watch it shrink watch him retreat

audacious little shapes how particularly finical

large and small and big and tall and short and gone

why is mine so boundless?

so unwaveringly firm ablaze in ardor

this silver box could not compete

though I envy its resurgence