yes, it is far-fetched, it was meant to be sarcastic, but maybe that isn't working. I'll try something else. Thanks for your comments GW and horus8.

Thanks Bill, I think I'll change "pestiferous", that never really sat well with me anyway.

Thanks for the all the comments, I agree Z, this is just another aspect of it.

Thanks again Caducus, I think I can live with this

Thanks for the suggestions! I was ready to scrap this. I used your idea and added some more to the ending, maybe this works.

I'm still playing around with this one, it's basically about running into an ex-lover, that you've had an extensive history with, and the feelings that it dredges up, and trying to get past them. Burning sage in some Native American cultures is part of a "purifying" ceremony, not sure it works here though.

Thanks for the comments Caducus. I'm not always good at explaining these, sometimes I don't know, but I'll try. I wrote this on a hot humid day, probably in a state of mid summer lethargy. To me it just expresses a kind of smoldering irritation at humans in general, and some of the circumstances in my own life, recent separation, approaching mid-life and so on. This just kind of bled out and stands mostly in it's original state. Thanks again for the comments, I hope that helps.