Fire Break

beyond the fire break
the woods are burning
columns of dark smoke
snaking fingers into the hazy sky

the heat of the summer day
becomes choking
the crackle of pine trees
becomes deafening

the forest screams
in the throws of an unstoppable force

as the night falls
the heat remains
and the vast fires
turn the skies red as false dawn

a boiling licking tongue
scrapes the blood red moon
the world speaks a language of dry tinder
moaning in burning ecstasy

behind the blackened columns of cinder
with a face streaked in ash
I listen to the forest die and be reborn
and in turn chase my mind
to thoughts of driving rain

If only there was water
If only there was no fire but water
If only water drowned us all
If only...

The landscape aflame twists in whirls of smoke
a wall of fire rages
I turn my face
everything explodes
I drop my head and run

I feel that fire reaching for me even now
with dancing digits of orange
rain forever just a dim wish
I wake choking on imaginary smoke
and see all the world burning behind my eyes

I sit upright
and through clenched teeth
wish for death by drowning