Fire extinguisher

By Mory Keita

I didn’t know she was flirting with me,

She stared at me oddly, with a smile on her face,

Leaning against the table as we spoke,

Touching her dark brownish hair,

Laughing at my silly jokes, poking me.

Methought she laughed because of my dialect,

Because people always laugh around me,

But no, she smiled whether I spoke or not.

I didn't know she was waiting for me,

She asked me personal questions,

Complimented me for the silliest things:

What book are you reading? what is it about?

How did you learn French? I love your smile,

So, will you help me with my project?

These were normal questions to me,

Thus, I gave her friendly answers.
how can a sixteen years old read such signs?

I didn't feel the blazing  flame within her heart.

Tho’ I would ignore her sometimes,

She always acknowledged me, spoke to me.

She forced me to talk of things I didn't want to talk about,

I felt for once that I wasn’t being interviewed.

I wanted to tell her that I loved her,

Friends advised me to not make a fool out of myself,

So, I didn’t brush a word--oh silly me.

I didn’t see that I was unintentionally hurting her.

She proposed to me three times to hang out,

And I, an imbecile, replied that I had to study.

She didn’t give up on me,she stood by along the way.

Either did i see the fireman with his fire extinguisher.

He came into her life slowly with appreciation,

He wooed her with adventurous tales while I stood by.

She felt for him with such celerity, but I stood by.

A new flame grew in her heart, and the old was extinguished.

Note: I didn’t want to publish this poem on my blog, but I felt that I should not be ashamed and that I needed to “let it out” by sharing this story with others.

Fire extinguisher