The birds crow a weeping melody

Trees clean of leaves

The air filled with a smoky stream

Somewhere a fire burns

One fairly close to me

The smoky scent fills my nose

And burns my throat

Making me feel a pressure in my lungs

I feel bad for the life here that grows

Because these dry trees and rotten leaves will only promote

The raging fire that has sprung

I can walk away

Let the burn fade

from my airway

But the trees and life cannot be swayed

Not when a fire heads this way

And when this fire is human made

What does one say

To these lives on their last day?

‘Sorry I can’t stay

The flames are coming this way

Hopefully they called the fire brigade’

Turning on my heel to leave

I take a deep breath of the smoky air

As I begin to grieve

For their innocent welfare

Before their lives are caught ablaze