The Ashes of Mediocrity

The smell of the embers
On the drive from work.
The sight of the smoke
As you get closer.
The dim hope that
There has been a mistake.
The sound of the words
Ringing in your ears.
The vision of the horror
When you finally come to it.

Your past,
Engulfed,
Enflamed,
Engorged
In a sheer disaster.
It may take many years
To find the accouterments
That fill your life.
And one solid, blazing afternoon
To see them, hear them, smell them
Charred, remnants of the past
Floating as ashes in the wind
Destination unknown.

A great sizzling reminder
Of the life you used to have.
A bountiful barbecue
Of a past life.
Yet, as you stare at the
Treachery that has befallen on you.
You think to yourself,
‘Whether I have a past or not,
I know that,
I want a future.’