Estrangement comes

after the fight

The dust settles

and what remains,

at first sight,

are seared patches of field,

black stubble

where fire has cleansed

the weeds and seeds alike.

The earth is turned, churned,

but the fields are no longer burnt,

medication taking the place,

of earlier raw element.

The furrows are peaceful,

but a grumbled “alright”

hardly ever means

that all

is all right.