Challenging Poetry

aftermath

my life erupted--
exploded,
blossomed into flames
blue hot--
leaving only ash behind,
bitter grey.

so I gathered memories
until they stained
my hands with shadow,
and added salt tears,
until the ashes
turned caustic--

lye burns,
eating the skin away
so the new can form--

and then I scrubbed,
scouring my life clean
so that I could
live again.

Author's Note ▶︎

Prompt: Ashes
My first thought was death, but then I rethought, because ashes are an ingredient in lye which can be used to make soap--which cleans, and so I went there instead.