I grew up in the Waldo Canyon - Colorado Springs area
where some of the largest mountain fires are currently
are occurring. The severe drought in the deep southwest
deeply affects me even though I no longer live there.
Drought
Morning again, parched dry as
death
Its frail glow waiting for another
day
Adrift in the sifting dusts of
drought
Scorched wisps of clouds
Fade in the heat smothered
sun
Choking the last hope of
rain
Wrapping my bones in a brown paper
shroud
I want to rage against the
outrage
Beat my fist against
it
Twist free of this fire I cannot run
from
Gather reason, protest, organize,
negotiate
Go door to door and stir my
complacent neighbors
Alert them to this relentless,
unreasoning assault
On all that is my green mother
world
Stop the burning away of life that
leaves me orphaned
Bereft of all that made me, protected
me, sustained me
All that I
am
But I know in each moment
beforehand
That they’ll just look right through
me and say
Oh yes, it is so terribly
hot
N’ it just won’t let
up
We need rain bad
Then they’ll go on their way in
silence
Knowing, like me, it’s already too
late
C
7/9/12 Sandy Hartman
www.eonwriter.com
