Commonplace
Beyond the welcome mat
The north living room wall
Is a charred memory
Through its spacious show
Of eviscerated lumber
Still whip-cracking the years
For Las Vegas parents
Who relax on the couch
Next to the blistered wood
Honoring birthdays or
Celebrating school sports
With commemorated smoke
Inhaled around homework
And breathed through seasons
Around chopping potatoes
Since this house embraced fire
Like a young sibling
Snapping at family
Bio
Dane Karnick grew up by the Colorado “Rockies” and lives near Seattle. His poetry has appeared in Poppy Road Review, Ephrastic Review, Bluepepper and is forthcoming in El Portal. Visit him at www.danekarnick.com.