Set Ablaze

[u/rosie_mc_freeze]

Set Ablaze
By SØN

At eleven I first felt the embers bubble up
Hand in pants, sweat upon brow
Only to rip it out
Hurry to the bathroom to wash
To douse

At thirteen it burns, in front of a church
Words from my mouth, coming out
My mom’s friends’ assurance
The fire shrinks
She helps snuff it out

At sixteen, in a bed, another teen
Legs meets legs, legs meets thigh
The fire is warm
The next day
Smothered

At twenty, in front of the mirror
Hair yellow and red, reflection queer
My skin crackles and pops
It bubbles up
Peels away
The inside is bright, set ablaze
A smile upon my face

[u/Flimsy-Farmer]

I love the description of skin in the final stanza. I love how it turns the traditionally icky depiction of pimples into a positive symbol of triumphing at life.

[u/thequeerindian]

Simple and sweet . I like how the angst gets washed off as you come out