As the fire burns hotly
With a splendor of glory
Vinaceous embers
With a halo of gold
The scent of the wood smoke
Blends with heat of the forest
Makes for a scene out of
Dante's Hell.
The riotous wind
Spreads the fast licking flames
Despite the firefighters best efforts
A wall of flames arises
Across fire breaks and roads
The wind suddenly shifted
And the fire gains momentum
A huge wall of flames
Madly rushing wildfire
The child in the truck
Is right in the way
Staying seems foolish
Leaving even more so
All she can do is sit
And hope that the man
She trusted with her life
Came in time
He always did.
The horizon is black
Thick with choking smoke
As trees collapse
Neath the towering flames.
Raging fury out of control
Scorching a path
Through the pines and oaks
While the child sits and watches.

But the mystery is
As the flames do damage
How it rejuvenates the land
With the blend of old and new
Years later the forest recovers
New growth takes place
Of the young trees that died
Huckleberries thrive
On newly burned soil
Where birds now chirp
So even in nature
All things do thrive
In their time and place.

Laura R
5-11-03