Charred To Death Poem by Nikhil Parekh

Naked parchments of paper burnt in crackling fire,
long pieces of timber wood were charred to junk,
transparent window glass melted to wax,
stone chips of white marble transited to sooty black,
rich chunks of upholstery were stripped of Dunlop foam,
statues of pure gold developed an army of irregular cracks,
spiral balustrades crumbled like a pack of crisp playing cards,
electronic gadgetry emitted sparks of volatile current,
mystic sheets of curtain spread sash split into threadbare fragments,
space chambers of cloth and perfume were devoured in the smoke,
a network of crisscrossed lintel collapsed with a thud,
as savage flames of fire licked minute quarters of the palatial mansion.

masses of humans ran helter-skelter,
the ambience echoed with chorused pandemonium,
impetuous fingers compressed extinguisher nozzles,
frenzied feet traversed speedily across vantage spaces of the house,
terrorized mouths babbled incoherent passages of urgent commands,
twin parrots in cage screeched in hopeless despair,
bright eyed children clung tightly to plump silhouette's of their mother,
missiles of grey smoke erupted from burnt effigies of solid furniture,
people lay in a wreck crippled by mammoth loads of ceiling plaster,
shrill cries of anguish emanated from scorched parts of their body,
their breaths rose rhythmically high,
radiant patches of skin contorted to deathly white,
valiant attempts of survival were stifled by a thunderous blast,
as concrete compartments of bricks came tumbling down,
burying a cluster of individuals,
into a charred heap stabbed by hot ambers coats of house fire.