I set fires in my brain,
in those severed synapses
that keep me in the clouds
when I should be on the ground,
the ones that spin me around
and lose me in the crowd.
With you, I am found.
You are my Firefighter.
You are my savior,
my Dad’s black sweater
I wore when I was better.
You are the letter
returned to sender
saying I miss you too.
I wish you were here,
but you are not ready,
so stay there.
You are the firefighter
when the flames surround me.
Thank you for the love you give me
with every sound of the drum beat.
My heart beat will slow down to a crawl.
I hope you will remember me.
I know you will.
When my fire goes out,
I know you will be there
saying “Now you’re here,
and it was all worth it.”
Jason Wright is the editor and founder of Oddball Magazine. His column appears weekly. His third book, Train of Thought 2: Almost Home is available now at the Oddball Book Store.