The hearth protects
the fire, and me against the fire
the house protects
against the fire from outside

the men and the boys
who flare up everywhere
in the flanks of the houses
they want to come inside

rage and beat to death
and then, with dry eyes
extinguish in ashes and impotence
that is the danger

to my inside world
of kitchen and bed
where I veil
my dull days