I remember the night our new house burned to the ground,

I remember the lights and sirens of the emergency vehicles,

I remember the smoke billowing out of the front windows,

Cascading like a stream of tears

Slipping away into the night;

I remember watching the neighbours in their tight little aloof group,

Guiltily staring as our house burned down,

Grateful it was us and not them,

I remember the night our new house burned to the ground.