A stick is the one
you use to poke the fire—
you don’t care if it catches on flame.

The Very Important Stick is chosen
from many at hand, perhaps
it has a useful crook, maybe
it can hold many marshmallows,
or has a Y branch – ideal for hotdogs.

After the coals have been raked,
last lumps gathered into a final pyre,
the Very Important Stick is tossed in,
a last gesture before night is done and it
is finally aflame, that which it had

so cleverly avoided, until then.

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