grasp the edge with one hand/withdraw thin paper with the other/feel the snap of release/place in the strands of brown straw/ run your tongue/along the side/moisten the gum that lies in a line/fold around and press/remark on the join/lift to lips/ignite end/inhale deeply/see the orange glow/watch white turn to grey/try and ignore sadness of transience/reflect on death/and how all is destined to be ash/

Henry Bladon is a writer of short fiction and poetry based in Somerset in the UK. He has a PhD in literature and creative writing from the University of Birmingham. He is the author of several poetry collections and his work can be seen in Poetica Review, Pure Slush, Truth Serum Press, Lunate, and Dime Show Review, among other places.