 |
| Oct, 2018 Jean Doolittle |
by Marilyn Singer
Fire is always hungry.
Meat or fish
Meat or fish
Carrots or eggplant
Math books, French tests
Overstuffed sofas, junkyard automobiles
Tenements, castles
A stylish cafe, an old-fashioned street--
Some treats it gobbles,
Others it savors slowly
leaving a few stones, a bunch of bricks.
Fire is the least fussy of diners.
It likes almost anything
it licks
From: Central Heating: Poems About Fire and Warmth, Marilyn Singer, Alfred A. Knopf, 2005.
The first poem in the book is titled, "Contradiction" and the jacket blurb clarifies that word: fire is..."cheery, beautiful, unpredictable, scary, fire is our friend and foe." Fire is elemental and we are drawn to it, but also fear its power; and well we should. Wildfire season has widespread impacts and the dangers are increasing. FEMA has fascinating, if scary, maps that illustrate this clearly. The whole National Risk Index website is worth exploring to help us understand the impact of climate change and our cavalier attitudes to our environment.
No comments:
Post a Comment