the cold room

the room is cold
the fire long ago dead
I will clean away the ashes

get it alight again
warm the room through

the remnants removed
a new fire is lit

but it is not the same fire
can never be again
once the fuel is burned away

only fading heat remains

until it, too, dies

but we must have some warmth

we cannot live without it
so I will keep stoking it
adding things to burn
encourage the flames

it has gone out
it lives no more
I pull my coat tighter about me
and stare at the dead grate
in the cold room

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