Poem: “Dumpster Fire”
2026 April 17
“Dumpster Fire”
What happens if a dumpster fire
is left to burn at night,
and no one accepts responsibility
to attend to the flames?
Sure, the fire won’t burn forever,
but what if the dumpster burns really close
to our building in a crowded city?
And what if us renters and landlords neglected
to check the batteries in the smoke alarms
while our babies in Section Eight sleep;
and what if our politicians underfunded
our fire department’s last budget;
and what if our community kids had fun
opening the fire hydrants
that hot, summer afternoon,
as the bodega cat watched
from the deli window?
A tragedy burns on the kindling
of irresponsibility; the preventability
is what made Romeo & Juliet tragic.
Hold your breathe and get some water.
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