THE SMELL OF BURNING COAL

this evening somebody was burning coal

nearby the house where I live in Sukhumi

and the smell of it

was reminding me of where I first met it

Issikul & Ürümqi were far from home

for the Montrealer whom I used to be

the smell of burning coal was strong and strange

and it was making me feel strong and strange

::: ::: :::

Photo: The view at night, from behind the house where I live