An ordinary summer morning at a cafe when

I saw a fire consume her face
tear through her tall cheekbones
and burn what remained of her innocuous past

vedas fanned the flames
that weaved around her ears
braids of hair sparked just as fast

the sun perched over the minarets of her mind
clothes peeled off designer skin
red blisters caught wind of my horror
erupting the colour off skies behind

she kept reciting the hymns that roasted her breath
even as melting jaws opposed her cause
I yelled, rained a storm at her
only for the hoses to calm to a pause

dense smoke billowed out of her nostrils
chakra glowed orange, red then black
the vast scorched valleys of her silent fears
had claimed her visage their place

last of father’s tears dried on her lips
laden with lipstick and a tinge of detest
begging her to halt, for they had forgiven
and that the world had been laid to rest

but the sati of her blue dowry dreams
screamed of suffer, rage
drenched in blood of the devil’s caste
she had her soul spilled over the altar

midnight’s lunch lurched out of her mouth
raced down her bones and charred toenails
distant wails of the fire brigade
sweeped through the shadows as she fell

I saw a fire devour her
nurture her, embrace her
fondle her with immense passion
and long before the crime
when I meet my fate
she will have killed fate herself