Sunday, July 2, 2017

Wildfires Threaten -- The Sunday Whirl/ Sunday's Whirligig/ Poets United - Poets Pantry

 

       



 

 

         WILDFIRES THREATEN

        


the fire burns        
the heat rises                  
the “hot-shots” 
spit at the edges
summer again
in this new world 
of climate-change 
fires are expected 

we ask 
why did you look the other way 
why did you ignore so much      
the stones turn red   
the tribe prepares to flee
before the village is swallowed       
wind gusts come in waves        
fan the fire

owls hide in prairie dog holes 
the animals had been moved               
chores complete    
boxes packed                 
the air is hot          
full of smoke                          
the villagers' quake  
they have faced other dangers before 
but seldom something that would completely         
take their way of life from them

still, she stands before her mirror  
she is not willing to go 
until she has donned a new smock
painted her lips with lipstick         
red like her coifed hair    
sprayed with hairspray
she turns around             
wiggles her hips 
     
she knows how hard it is just to be
spending the day clerking in the general store
she has always been a stranger on her own
just a wisp of a girl
she will walk in hope of a ride 
she wonders how did it all come to this
with minutes to spare
she dashes from the house 

July 2, 2017                                                                   









                                         
                                                                                           









19 comments:

Keith's Ramblings said...

This is wonderfully visual. AsI read it my mind wandered to the tragic event in London last week when so many didn't escape the flames.

Come Whirl with me!

brudberg said...

I have read of the wildfires and so much devastation that it cause... climatchange and people building to close to nature... I think that if we had let it burn in smaller scale it might not have been so devastating.

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Terrible when the wildfires are burning, people, animals and wildlife fleeing for their lives. Your descriptions are wonderful, I could see the whole scene so clearly.

Colleen@ Looseleaf said...

We'll be fixing our hair as it goes up in fire. better told in poetry with a juxtaposition like yours than to tell with fact and figures, but still...

Bernadette Braganza said...

Could completely picture that scenario. It does sound scary.

Anonymous said...

Well done, my friend. Your imagery is fluid and we can see it all as it is happening. I think, on some level, Mother Nature is telling us how she feels about our careless squandering of her gifts.

Elizabeth

Mary said...

I could picture the scene vividly. So much devastation caused by those wildfires.

indybev said...

Your words are beautifully descriptive. Strangely, I wrote of a fire as well.

Nicholas said...

She sounds like a diva herself! Someone I'd have the pleasure of being friends with. thanks for sharing this with us Annell!

Old Egg said...

In Australia we too have the threat of wildfires (bush fires we call them here) but curiously the eucalypts (Gum trees) whose home it is can survive them, get scorched and then a few weeks later sprout new growth, thankful for a bit of tidying up! However humans, their crops, property and stock are less resilient.

Wendy Bourke said...

The images in this are striking. Also I found that the slice of life-goes-on juxtaposed against the horror of fire coming towards the town - very compelling. Even with all that is happening, human foibles find their way into the mix. One might make the case that humanities unfortunate inability to take in the 'big picture' is part of the reason that global warming has been visited upon this planet, in the first place. Wonderful writing!

Sumana Roy said...

Ouch!..she seems to be the wildfire herself...

Jae Rose said...

An enticing story poem - I am glad she got out in time

Deepa said...

Such an amazing & powerful writing.

Click Here to see what Mrs. Dash Says

ayala said...

Powerful images. Lovely read.

Kerry O'Connor said...

We have had too many devastating fires close to home, and news of those from afar, not to read these opening lines with trepidation.. the red stones are particularly frightening.

Sanaa Rizvi said...

Its horrible when wildfires are burning, and when people, animals and wildlife are running for their lives.

Magical Mystical Teacher said...

We hope the dash was not too late...

Sok Sareth said...

I love the giving and accepting of the gifts and blessings ~ It is perfect ~

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