10/22/23 8:52 AM
Day 22
Replay events of a natural disaster you heard of, watched on the news,
or that you have experienced. Create song lyrics about what happened.
The night of the fire was like a dream
Everything scary
Happening so improbably
All at once
But so real, realer than anything
Like you're playing for keeps
The wind was howling
The lights went out
Cracking branches
Rustling leaves
Swaying trees
An orange glow from the east
Dawn came early
Ten-thirty
Sunrise at night
Wasn't right
The man on the phone
Said get out
Do what you have to do
I wasn't strong
I couldn't carry
I couldn't rescue you
Went outside
Came back in
We have to leave right now
Tried to use the phone again
But everything was out
Outside again
Hose in hand
Embers in my eyes
Thinking to myself
This is how I'm going to die
Leaves igniting
Wind deciding
Where and what to light
Too fierce a foe
Nothing to do
But give up the fight
We have to get out right now
Honey, we have to leave
You said go
Find some heroes
Then come back for me
The hardest thing
Driving away
Fire all around
Houses burning
Soon turning
To ashes on the ground
Fire station empty
Drove back
Drove back to you
Fire truck on my street
Told them what to do
Save my wife
Save her life
Don't let her die alone
She can't walk
Or even crawl
Don't leave her on her own
Six strong men
An ambulance
Got you out alive
Into the night
Into the unknown
Darkness we did drive
A week later
Evacuated
Ragged, but alive
I hugged the cop
Who told me
Our house had
Survived
Back to your cats
Your TV shows
And everything we own
You were never so glad
Glad to be back home
----
The event is burned (sorry) into my memory. I can't ever forget, even though it's not something I like to recall. One year after the Cascade Fire in Loma Rica, came the Camp Fire, which eclipsed the tragedy suffered by our small town.
This exercise is wearing me out. I don't always feel the topics or want to go where my assignment takes me. I'm continuing, in spite of this, because I like being in the habit of writing something -- anything -- first thing in the morning.
In theory...
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