A Burning Word

The words, the words--
They rattle in my head,
louder than 
the tail of a snake,
louder than 
the breaking of stacked billiard balls,
louder than 
the concussing jack hammer on a city street--
too much noise to hear distinctly
what must be written,
what must be said, screamed
into the foul fiery smoke-filled air

One word, one.
Just one, larger than the others,
louder— 
settles against my skin,
a lash of fiery noise,
burning, burning deep--
betrayal--
burning away tiny scars 
of other betrayals
a lifetime ago

This wildfire of betrayal
burns away
soul held beliefs
of common good.