Frank Prem

surviving the devil - a song of fire

oh my darling
the devil is in the wind
crying
roaring
swallowing sound
with every tongue
that licks to taste
the grass and trees

it speaks to you
my darling

well
we could really only watch

it came down the hill
on both sides
and from behind us

four ways at once

the embers
were like an uzi
firing through every crack

doors
windows
skylights in the ceiling

if you were putting them out
at the top of the door
they swarmed in at the bottom

it was like a live thing

if we stayed in the house
another thirty seconds
we were dead

if we got in the car to drive away
we were dead

we could only back the sedan
onto burnt ground
sit in it
and watch our home burn down

it took just a few seconds

I couldn’t breathe

I just couldn’t breathe

we both had damp cloths
over our mouths
but I just
couldn’t breathe

even now
I’m coughing up black

darling
my darling
there is sorrow on this ground

the devil’s kiss is a thirst
that can’t be quenched

and the taste in your mouth
is ash and foul
a love affair to the death

oh my darling
the world is different now
from when he first began

look
I’m telling you my truck didn’t burn
it melted

it just
bloody well
melted

there’s some midi files
a pair of socks
and some underpants
my camera
and the budgerigar
that’s all I had time to grab

the rest’s gone

I hope the cat’s ok

my horses
I need to go back in to save my horses

are you going to stop me
from going to them
they need me

are you trying to make me lose EVERYTHING

LET ME GO THROUGH

somebody lit it
on purpose

what do you do to someone like that

what on earth
do you do

darling
this is the devil’s stamping ground

it’s turned into a moonscape
in the space of three hours

this is where he sings
songs of desecration

it’s going to take
probably a couple of generations
for it to grow back

his sickling ground
to corrupt
with gouts of loathing

I’m not sure if this place
our home
for over twenty-five years
can ever feel the same for us

come away with me
my darling
come away
there’s fire in the red sun’s eye

I think we’ve had enough
of living
in the wonderful Australian bush

there’s nothing left
where the devil-wind
has blown

~