“FIRE” by Claire Boskin
a fellow traveler in my writing circle
with family in California
claireboskin11@gmail.com
designer, facilitator of issue-focused study groups, all ’round mensch
FIRE
fire rages
once again
now history making
fire rages
orange, yellow, red sky
black dense smoke
veils the air
eyes witness war zone
hell on steroids
california ablaze
unreal
surreal
too real
california fires on the sweep
fear
unrelenting
taste on the tongue
knot in the chest
grip in the gut
neighbor’s house
hollowed
collapsing
a whole city
razed to rubble
stay reasoned
court calm
decisions to make
actions to take
children to calm
comfort, assure
touch, hug, kiss
Evacuate now
official,
devastation declared
choose, pack
what to take
what to leave
clothes, toys,
papers, photos
memories
dogs, cats
horses to
set free
crisis self
survival self
full grown
let loose
evacuate now
a life stripped down
to fit a car
maybe two
evacuate, escape
a friend’s place
a relative’s place
a strange place
anywhere but this place
california fire in your face
evacuate now
flames hungry,
skip, lick
defy control
engine revved
foot on pedal
seat belts bolted
will i ever see home again
move over world
we live among you
fire rages
california horrific
on a big screen
dedicate to my beloveds,
to all everywhere
who know this
and may again, and again