Ashes

Ashes-

Why does a phoenix always come with ashes?

Is it a reminded that we all either burn up or burn out?

That even a beast of fire and blame

Has to crawl on its belly to get out of the dust?

We must, we must

With the must of cigarettes setting on clothes

Like volcanic ashes from a ring of fire

The smoke rising to the top, ashes sticking and stinking somewhere near the bottom

And from the bottom, the phoenix fly out

To either burn up or burn out

As an everlasting blaze in someone's eye

-And then we wait-

Why does a phoenix come with ashes?