As taught by tending fire,
having words for these things
doesn’t mean I know them

The fire teaches me
to pay attention,
the rules that I’m applying
don’t need more refining
so much as faithfully adhering

So in fire tending
I go wordless,
letting the flames do the talking,
letting them draw
their foreordained conclusion.

©Wendy Mulhern
November 19, 2017