It's Still Life

The Disguise of Economic Buoyancy

The neighbour runs from the garden
into her house, closes the windows.
She’s burning years of paper receipts.

Things once had. Things she still has.
Things eaten.
Broken.
Busted.
Forgotten.

Consumerism,
and an emergency bucket of water
to put out the fire.

Sparks rise and sail,
and shred the sky
with smoke the colour of sheep.

She watches ash swirl like a flooding creek,
and then nothing.
The fire’s burnt itself out.

She’ll go shopping tomorrow.

Written for Ragtag Daily Prompt (disguise). Some artwork is created using Midjourney AI, and is identified as such in the ALT text or captioned. Imagery and poems ©Misky 2023.