The blazing inferno rages and roars
Devouring everything in its path
The children cower in fear
Flesh and bone,
You dive into the dragon’s mouth
Moving past the bellowing smoke
Dodging the falling debris
You heed their cries
Wrapping them in your turnout coats
You lead them to safety
Mom and dad rush to embrace them
Even as the house crumbles to dust
They have more days under the stars
Bruised and scarred yet,
Together
A warmth spreads through your chest
More than the heat from the flames
The same kind every time a heartbeat is revived
Or every time still lungs are breathed back to life
A life that gets to see another sunrise
And when you are at that front door
Turning the knob, you see her
And collapse into her arms
Another miracle…
You made it home
Every Halloween, your son’s costume is the same
He puts on a turnout coat and a helmet
Every year the same words
“I want to save the day like daddy.”
It terrifies you; it melts your heart too
When the smoke finally clears
The house is a pile of ash
The family, however, is still standing
Thanks to the one with the turnout coat
Who went into the dragon’s mouth
