The Inferno that Consumed My Life
I wake with a start from my peaceful slumber
The noise that has shaken me is the sound of someone screaming.
I jump out of bed and walk briskly to the window
Through the misty panes I see a menacing scarlet glow.
My breath catches in fear and I run to grab my house coat.
I wrap it tightly around me and dash into my daughter’s room.
I stifle a yelp when I see that her unkempt bed is empty.
I leap back into the kitchen and out the back door.
What I see now, I will never forget.
The barn is enveloped with flames.
I let out a screech of horror and I rush closer to the building.
The animals trapped inside are deafeningly loud over the crackling of the fire.
Smoke as black as the night sky billows into the air.
The smoke chokes me as it burns through my lungs.
I cover my mouth and nose with my sleeve and I barrel into the open doors.
The building is packed with smoke and I cannot see a thing.
The consuming flames dance around me mockingly as I search blindly for my daughter.
“Sarah!” I choke as I scream for her.
Then I saw her, a small dark form curled in the corner of the room.
I feel my way over to her and I began to reach out for her but I froze.
Burns bloomed over her pale young skin; angry red sores mottled her arms and face.
I hold back a sob as I carefully slide my arm under her knees and back to lift her from the ground.
“I just wanted to pet my horsey, but I dropped the lantern” she sobbed softly. “I love you mommy.”
“I love you too, everything is going to be fine,” I wheezed.
I squeezed her gently and began to make my way towards the door.
Suddenly, I hear an ear splitting crack and I look up to see one of the wooden beams plummeting down.
I jump forward as it grazes my back.
I cry out in pain as I feel flames licking my now exposed skin.
The smoke is getting thicker and the flames crackle with morbid delight.
Panting, I limp towards the smoldering doorway.
At last, I thrust our bodies from the inferno raging within the barn.
I collapse to my knees and gently lay my daughters limp body on the plush grass.
As my vision clears, I gasp with horror.
Tears pour down my face as I reach out to touch the lifeless form of my daughter.
I lie down beside her and close my eyes,
And try to pretend this fire did not take my life.
The noise that has shaken me is the sound of someone screaming.
I jump out of bed and walk briskly to the window
Through the misty panes I see a menacing scarlet glow.
My breath catches in fear and I run to grab my house coat.
I wrap it tightly around me and dash into my daughter’s room.
I stifle a yelp when I see that her unkempt bed is empty.
I leap back into the kitchen and out the back door.
What I see now, I will never forget.
The barn is enveloped with flames.
I let out a screech of horror and I rush closer to the building.
The animals trapped inside are deafeningly loud over the crackling of the fire.
Smoke as black as the night sky billows into the air.
The smoke chokes me as it burns through my lungs.
I cover my mouth and nose with my sleeve and I barrel into the open doors.
The building is packed with smoke and I cannot see a thing.
The consuming flames dance around me mockingly as I search blindly for my daughter.
“Sarah!” I choke as I scream for her.
Then I saw her, a small dark form curled in the corner of the room.
I feel my way over to her and I began to reach out for her but I froze.
Burns bloomed over her pale young skin; angry red sores mottled her arms and face.
I hold back a sob as I carefully slide my arm under her knees and back to lift her from the ground.
“I just wanted to pet my horsey, but I dropped the lantern” she sobbed softly. “I love you mommy.”
“I love you too, everything is going to be fine,” I wheezed.
I squeezed her gently and began to make my way towards the door.
Suddenly, I hear an ear splitting crack and I look up to see one of the wooden beams plummeting down.
I jump forward as it grazes my back.
I cry out in pain as I feel flames licking my now exposed skin.
The smoke is getting thicker and the flames crackle with morbid delight.
Panting, I limp towards the smoldering doorway.
At last, I thrust our bodies from the inferno raging within the barn.
I collapse to my knees and gently lay my daughters limp body on the plush grass.
As my vision clears, I gasp with horror.
Tears pour down my face as I reach out to touch the lifeless form of my daughter.
I lie down beside her and close my eyes,
And try to pretend this fire did not take my life.
♠ ♠ ♠
We are studying Robert Frost, and we read his poem Out, Out. Our project is to write a poem (any style) about a tragedy. So I decided to write about fire because it is just so devestating. It's a sad poem, I know, but it has so much emotion to me. By the way, this isnt really about me! It takes place in the 1800's, it is about a single mother and her daughter living in their farmhouse. Feedback please?