By Linda Tenney
Date: 8 December 1997

Slow Burn

It’s not like fireworks
that fade in the night
it’s a slow burn
glowing ever bright.

Like a well-stoked fire,
the intensity grows
a slow burn
igniting in my soul.

It’s not a bolt of lightning
that knocks me off my feet
it’s that slow burn
turning up the heat.

Like a smooth pull
from a cigarette
the slow burn
is getting hotter yet.

A slow burn is smoldering
deep within my heart
the embers form a searing base
from which the fire starts.

The flashing lights and exploding flames
always fade away
but a slow burn can last a lifetime
growing stronger every day.