Enframed

A fire spreads upon the sea, and the land
Below all these churning waves of sea and flame
Lies in surprising calm and silence as she
Sits within the frame.

In one hand we can see this seductive girl
Carries cool water, and in the other flame.
Yet, she's neither wet nor showing she is burned,
Sitting in the frame.

She once belonged to the artist who painted
Her with such inky shades, until this girl's flame
Spread out onto the sea as her hair set her
Face into a frame.

Her hand holding the water weighs itself down--
Her hand reaches out toward you with the flame
And asks you as she asked the artist and me:
"Sit within my frame."

I have sat with her to fill her with water,
To quench our brows of such a terrible flame
As we, you and me, find in her, claim to see
Bursting in the frame.

I have watched her painting long enough to see
Her hair and breasts, thighs and navel burst in flame
I wished to cool--but I used breath, not water,
And burnt up the frame.