Matthew Jablonski

4th of July 2008

The next day
a pile of brick rubble,
twisted metal
that used to be factory
smoldered
and firemen
soaked it down
with rivers of water,
backhoes pulled down walls
as people set
paper plates
and bottle rockets,
coolers of beer
for the 4th of July.
The neighborhood
smelled like burgers and dogs,
burned plastic
and freedom.