Spontaneous Human Combustion (Physician Heal Thyself)

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see. - Thoreau

Photo by Cullan Smith on Unsplash

in an acute conflagration of reason

i stared at the sun

repeatedly telling myself

"it can't happen to me"

"it won't happen to me"

meanwhile

the demon chanted

"burn baby burn"

as he danced around my retinal pyre

i screamed, "liar, liar"

as my pants burst into flames

without even the slightest trace of smoke

see what happens when you play with fire

Author's Note

"One man lies in his words, and gets a bad reputation; another in his manners, and enjoys a good one." - Thoreau