Fire

The light in the east, is pink like a maidens cheek
At the first whisper of a lovers seductive verses
The earth stirs, gently, sighing like a waking
Child, still milk drowsy, wind briskly stroking
The golden, tinder dry grass with soft caresses
Across a land no longer in its full summer sleek
 
And then, and then it rises, roaring, vivid, white light
With a great terrifying crackle of crumpling plastic
The world shouts red heat. Hot smoke plumes
Leap, carry upwards burning, blue grey fumes
Staining the earth black and the air grey. Frantic
Animals seek safety in crazy heedless headlong flight
 
Devastation races forward to its own destruction
Leaving the veld* stained with soot and death
The slow, the old, the crippled, lie charred
On ground now hideously, blackly scarred
Death waits for wind, Natures healing breath
To bring soft rain and green growth, resurrection

* Veld = grassland/savanna.