Lost in the Fire

Hate is a powerful emotion and one that can be very infectious. Any sense of decency or common sense can fall to its pernicious nature.

Lost in the Fire

By

Carlos Lorenzo Estrada 

I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain.- James Baldwin

I burn

No fires

Can claim me

Immolation deserved 

Incinerated vaporous embers 

Inflamed upon societal indifference 

Smoldering ashen pile devoid of my color 

Hatred paints flame in starlight sunsets auburn 

In the cinders grey my oppressors and I are equal tinge

Dust to dust we find commonality in our bigoted destruction 

Do not weep upon the bonfires of our self inflicted annihilation 

For in the ash bares a pestilence of infectious acrimonious rancor 

Let peaceful wind claim us so that our ideologies are lost to history forever 

Only when the last of us is finally consumed by flame will hate be lost in the fire  

Author's Note

When I wrote this a few weeks back it was about 95 degrees outside and I was complaining to my muse about the unbearable weather. And she replied, again in a very sensual Cate Blanchett voice, "You don't know what hot is so quit your bitching and write this down." And being her submissive I did exactly as I was told. Because honestly what sane man would ever argue with a woman, especially Cate. Feel free to leave thoughts, comment, or even troll. And thank you to both friend and foe.

Reviews

[Cherrie Palmer]

Hate is so self centered it inches out all others like ten monkeys on the bed and only hate itself is left. This was a great use of imagery. Very propelling.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Cherrie for your kind thoughts on this poem I truly appreciate it. And you are so correct in your comment about hate. We just need to learn to love better even for those that may not agree with us at all. Thank you again.

[Benita-Staebell M - Kin..]

Hate can be power control
and some can be broken and hurt inside it depends.

To me Hate is
not a pure emotion
it's very negative
and evil.

Hate is something
I've never been able to feel or even stomach,

Not even from the physical and emotional abuse I experienced in my first marriage I couldn't hate him even though he made feel anger and so lonely empty depressed and so much.


But I still don't hate him but sometimes hate happens when we are angry and scared and hurting and trying to heal so I understand it in that way if we're in so much pain and angry about what happened and angry that we're hurting and wish it would heal,

But I wasn't going to let my emotions and pain consume me and destroy m.

for me my love and compassion overpowers any hatred it's about revenge as well
for some that's sad and
sick sadly.


I'm also getting therapy to help with my healing.


When hate harms innocent people that isn't human or compassionate it's evil.

I enjoyed reading this
and your authors note 👍

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Benita for the kind comment and sharing a little bit of yourself with me. I went through physical abuse growing up which I wrote about in my poem called Forgive. Vile acts of abuse can scar for the rest of a person's life. It effects all relationships one will ever have. It is very destructive. But coming to terms with it and learning to grow from it helps some what in life. We are the sum of all our scars but they do not control our happiness if we choose to accept and move forward from them. I'm 55 yrs old and I carry these old wounds but no more do I allow them to control me anymore. Writing has liberated my pain. It has empowered me and saved me from myself. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me.

[K writes]

I really enjoyed this write, I like your author's not quit your bitching and write this down, sounds like something my grandfather would have said. Miss that man... oh well. I like the emotional sentiments in this write...

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you so much for the kind words. I always feel that writing should strive to elicit an emotional response from the reader. To build a bridge between both in trust and honesty. Because all art is subjective and not everyone is going to like everything I write but they will respect the fact it comes from an honest heart. I also try to have an eclectic style of writing because it challenges me and improves my ability. But always write from your heart Kaykey. Be true to you no matter what. Writing is an art and much of it reflects who you are. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this poem.

[Ruth]

That is the thing...hate is a power tool for some and harbouring hate is similar to harbouring poison within...it inevitablely does damage over time. Your poetry is wonderfully expressive Carlos...if more could allow the ash to transform the world may shed more light...until then, thank you for such poetry :)

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

thank you Ruth for taking the time to read and share your thoughts on this poem I truly appreciate it. I am in total agreement with your words. If we could only learn to love better this world would definitely be a better place.

[red93]

This Piece is excellent Carlos and touches greatness at times. The Central Precept of Buddhism is Fire as you may be aware - also in Christianity as you will know the Holy Spirit comes to the Apostles in tongues of flame. The oppressors will be cast down thru our prayers and the Power of God Himself. I enjoyed this tremendously and found it liberating.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you so much for your thoughts on this poem I really appreciate it.

[Unspoken poet]

It has been hot here as well, Tonight we are supposed to get strong storms. I don't care what the weather brings, you can't outrun it... nicely written (enjoyed)

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you for your thoughts on this poem I appreciate it.

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

Let peaceful wind claim us so that our ideologies are lost to history forever ..

Yes, immolation on our own bigoted pyre…earth burns. See it, free it, be it. You express this beautifully, dramatically, in form, imagery, emotion. If there is hatred, ignorance, violence, apathy, we all suffer destruction. I feel your moving words so deeply in this universal dirge. Bravo my friend.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Annette for your kind words. The writing of this poem really took me upon a journey of self reflection. What profits a man who has only hate in his heart? What value does it have for the future generations after us? I have had to limit my consumption of news media because it was infecting my mind with anger and hatred towards the vile racism that is seeking to destroy us from within. Meeting hate with hate can never be the answer for doing so we lose our greatest attribute against it; our humanity. The heart of peace should always meet the clenched fist of hatred. Only in the kind arms of absolution can the hated find redemption. And a return to their own humanity. Thank you so much my friend for your words.

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

Amen to your words Carlos🙏.

[Dave Brown]

This brings back memories of last summer with its oppressing, never been seen before, heat dome which caused deaths and the endless number of fires and destruction se were subject to.
If this is what the future holds we are in a bad way

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Dave for your comment. I shudder to think such a future would be our fate. If given a choice I would rather freeze to death than burn. Fire would just be such a painful and awful way to go. But what we are doing to this planet I don't feel we deserve any mercy from nature at all. Thanks again my friend.

[Fabian G. Franklin]

An interesting take on the inhuman condition. Personally, I've no time for hate of any sort. It only does those which harbor such feelings harm. Life is short and anything not improving my life needs to be cast aside to make room for smiles, hugs, love and random acts of kindness. That's my philosophy.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

And it truly is a wise and enlightened philosophy to have Fabian. Thank you for sharing your kind thoughts on this piece I truly appreciate it.

[emmajoy]

There's incredible heat in your words, they come from indignation absolute yuet.. COULD BE could be rooted in morality. I wonder what lit the fire? Guess we know via the prompts floating around: frustration, tension, fear - that we beings - like it or not, are being manipulated by.. all sorts - the media for one and individuals who play games with rules only known to them!!! You're aware, methinks your words are powerfully phrased.. especially,
' .. Smoldering ashen pile devoid of my color - Hatred paints flame in starlight sunsets auburn - In the cinders grey my oppressors and I are equal tinge - Dust to dust we find commonality in our bigoted destruction .. '
Never were words. emotions and all put better. Yet, how sad they need to be said, thought, shared.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

You are very perceptive Emmajoy and I find myself at this crossroads of sorts. This past couple of years I have found myself consuming too much news especially that of a political nature. What it has done to me is made me no better than the racist, ignorant, bigoted people I read or see on the news. And I have grown to have a visceral hatred towards them. Every single damned one of them. People punching Asian Americans, Republicans, corporate Democrats, racist Christians, anti vaxxers, anti maskers, anti science, anti LGBTQ, anti education, and more. It feels like a fire that has been lit inside of me. One that I'm unable to control and that feels as if I'm being consumed by it. I am becoming no better than they with my own hatred of them. That is where this poem was born from. The literal fire that is burning within me for these people. And it's wrong. I know it's wrong but I can't stop myself from feeling this anger towards them. Because I'm a person of color hated and reviled in my own country and this fear has taken root within me and it feeds upon my hate. My heart is divided because this type of hate is foreign to me. I believe in the aspirations of Lincoln, I have faith in the peaceful sentiments of Gandhi, and I so struggle to cling to the dreams of Martin Luther King Jr. Not because they are righteous but because they are true to our better angels and in essence our greater humanity. As a man who has humanist leanings I can't hate my fellow human beings and yet here I am. Love must win because without it there is nothing but ashes. And it is in those flames and residual ashes I will find myself with those I have come to hate. Devoid of color, devoid of love, and devoid of empathy.

[emmajoy]

Hate is an abomination.. for want of ruder word. But methinks one needs be careful to not sink to the same emotion.. thought hatred applied to the spirit is cruel and it scars. Your post is superb, painful to read for sure.. but your writing and the thoughts, emotions behind them.. proves who and what you are - unique. Aren't we all in our own helter.skeltering way!