The Evacuation

If had a bra I would have left it in the apartment Because I did run for my life The hard knock came at the front door Smoke was filling the halls way I took a few minutes to power day my computer If I lost everything including my life My life’s work my poems would have survived me Walking calmly down the stairs I covered my mouth because I could not breath Through the heavy yellow smoke that eat all the breathable air But once outside in the cold air I felt abandoned I was home because I had the flu I panicked because I thought what if I lost my apartment I would be homeless like years ago when I was less than nine The family home was lost in a fire We all remembered where we were at the time I was at a school bazaar Yellow ruled that day too when the sky sunny in June One of my older brothers blamed me for starting The fire when our mother was a young woman with six children And was sleeping in bed from working the night shift But who started this fire A young boy stood outside with me With the fireman and trucks and gossips Everyone pointing the finger at the immigrants Who also fell asleep and cooking plantain In silence we were the judge and jury when the fireman Brought out the blacken burnt frying pan that once roasted The fine and delicate yellow vegetable The young boy was afraid and I said did you call your Father because there are no bra wearing heroes to speak of today