emotions, like a con artist, look
a person right in the eye, and lie.

they’re pushy, too, always trying
to force me to make decisions now.

if I let them have their way, just a little, they act like a trash fire gone wild,

out of control, leap out of the barrel and consume the whole hillside,

weeds, flowers, strawberries, trees,
outbuildings, everything in their path.

like those flames, they could lay my life to ashes, if I let them out without

the garden hose in my hand, always
pointed and my eyes forever in their direction.