Firestorm

Hello there good friends...,I do hope that the following matter does not disturb in any way.

The resent bush-fires causing widespread  devastation throughout the country, especially NSW and QLD has recalled to me a poem I wrote some time back after the Marysville fires in Victoria.

The present day dangerous conditions caused me some very emotional moments, due to the fact that some years back I resided in many of these towns, such as Taree, Old Bar, Harrington, Forster, Wingham, and also the Sunhine Coast of QLD, and am well aware of just what a holocaust the residents would have gone through. To lose everything one has put together over decades of worth is totally devastating and overwhelmingly mind boggling, one can only imagine what they have gone through. and will be, suffering way into the future. With the grace of God I hope those involved can come to terms with this disaster and once again get there lives together, returning to some form of normality.
The bad picture of course is that we are only late in November, with many more similar incidents still to come, just now I hear of South Australia coming under attack from fires, I wish all involved a safe and successful triumph over the adversity, my thoughts, as thoughts of many others go with you.

Hopefully this poem will be an insight into the catastrophe, feel welcome to comment if you would care to do so.

Darrell.......


Firestorm

Drop a match into the grass

And see the earth it burn

Two hundred years of fighting fires...

Is there nothing we have learned?

They told us to stay and fight

But no one said it would be hell

Some emerging from the firestorm

With an awesome story... to tell

 

A wall of flame raced across the land

No hurdle in its path could retain

From hill to mountain to gully dry

The fury... onward it came

Sparing nothing in its path

It raged on throughout the night

Along with all the wildlife lost

Lost also... was much human life.

 

Towns up in the mountains

No longer do you hear them sing

Silence envelops where the children played

Grey ash covering everything,

No birds to trill their songs of joy

No budding flowers left to bloom

The tragedy of this firestorm

Leaving the nation wedged in gloom

 

Tales of courage verging on heroism

Are now appearing every day

Of how up on the burning mountain 

Some kept the firestorm at bay

Whilst others fought the good fight

Their efforts coming to no avail

Armed with just a smoldering blanket

They were but doomed to fail.

 

And now in its aftermath

We count the cost in hundreds lying dead

Mothers, fathers, sons and daughters...

Why could they not have been spared?

They died saving their animals

Attempting to get them to safer ground

But the firestorm consumed them all

Before a net of safety could be found.

 

Those of us out of harms way

Sit and watch the appeal on TV

The coming together of our country

Preparing to rebuild from all the debris

Parochialism can wait for the footy season

Now is the time for us to form a cartel

And to never forget the firestorm...

That gave a few of us... an insight into hell.

 

Darrell B Parker

Weaver of words and emotions.