The Faint Smell Of Burning

I'm playing with fire

and not in the way

I like to, late in the night at parties;

hot wax dripping

a faint smell of burning

and thin wisp of silver smoke.

This is the other kind of fire

that'll singe the eyelashes

clean off your face

without any trace

of flame.

I know you're using me.

I'm not sure what for,

just yet,

but I'm sure I'll find out.

You've got your uses

too

and I'm trying to think of you

as something more politically correct

than a "palate cleanser"

cool

and neutral

bookended by dishes

deliberately ordered.

Worked well, all that time ago.

And you've always got to go and bring it up,

don't you?

Hot cold clammy and sweating

confusion

late night disappearing act

a thin wisp of silver smoke

late at night

something's still burning

and if I squint I can just make out a

thin wisp of silver smoke

and the faint smell of

burning.