Ashes of a Home

I never wished to be the fire
That found a home already weary.
I only carried the warmth I knew,
Never knowing it would become your ruin.

If I had seen those fragile walls,
The cracks hidden beneath your smile,
I would have held my flames with trembling hands,
Afraid to turn another memory into ash.

You say your home no longer stands,
That every corner became dust.
Yet ashes are only what remain
When something once burned brightly.

I cannot gather every broken brick,
Nor erase the scars my heat has left.
But if there is one prayer I still whisper,
It is that another sunrise—not my fire—
Will one day teach your heart
How to become a home again.

And if, in another lifetime,
We meet before the flames are lit,
May I learn to be a lantern instead of a wildfire.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2026

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Seeker Avatar
September 1, 2026 at 8:17 PM
Remorse and regret, acknowledgment itself erases karmic imprints. Enjoyed this deep, heartfelt poem, Ted
Agustin Avatar
August 31, 2026 at 6:14 AM
Thanks for sharing this... exposing your thoughts through your unique poetic style. Welcome to Poetry Soup. I welcome you with the love of the Lord, expressed by John 3:16 of the Bible, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Be blessed.
Smith nee Howarth Avatar
August 29, 2026 at 10:32 PM
This is a deeply moving and beautiful piece of free verse. The extended metaphor of carrying warmth that unintentionally consumes a fragile home is handled with incredible tenderness and regret. I love how the stanzas progress naturally from the realization of damage to a gentle prayer for healing, culminating in that striking final image of wishing to be "a lantern instead of a wildfire." It captures the complex themes of innocence and forgiveness perfectly.
Gusinge Avatar
August 29, 2026 at 10:55 PM
Thank you so much, Alison! I really appreciate you taking the time to read it so closely. I'm especially glad the progression from destruction toward healing came through, because that was something I intentionally wanted the poem to convey.
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