Niall Drennan

LOVER

near dark

I was careless at the party
Smoking and drinking next to our house
The blaze could be seen for miles.
In the aftermath my lover vanished
Everyone knew I was responsible.
For three weeks I was inconsolable with grief
Then I found a new lover. We slept in the car on the ashes of the fire.
We were immersed in passionate lovemaking when the wailing began.
It came from a flowerbed.
I was surprised to see my old lover rise from the soil.
A diet of insects, rainwater and a love for me had made survival possible.
We celebrated this miracle by pouring three glasses of wine and sat down to consider the situation
In the end I decided that I preferred my newfound love on account the fire had made my old lover wizened and charred with crinkly, black skin