You Strike The Match

• Christian Magoffin, Grade 8
• Poetry
• 2021

You decide if I am as innocent as a candle flame
Or a demon - raging, roaring, relentless
Some use me for destruction, eyes transfixed on my crimson claws
Others summon me then can’t silence me
Remember- you strike the match.

You fuel my destruction with your carelessness
Killing off the precious animals and delicate plants.
You say that I destroy lives!
Remember- you strike the match

They used me for good
To heal them, give them light, perform their sacred rituals
They were smart enough to treat me with respect
Face the facts and learn from them
And help heal the land……

You strike the match