Unseasonable Flames

it was a january morning
the air was cold and dry
stepped outside, looked up and saw
dandelions in the sky
too delicate to survive the breeze
they scattered into particle dust
reached out my hand to catch what would land
came back covered in ashes and rust

it’s too early for the fires
but they’re burning all the same
it’s too early for the fires
but they’re burning all the same
what could be the reason?
what could be to blame?
what could be the reason
for these unseasonable flames?

high above the standstill traffic, columns of smoke
and fire rose like dancing serpents
struck down at the evacuees
like monsters of malicious purpose
us in our honda, windows shut tight
against the poisonous, boiling air
the banshee wind drowned out our screams
and the children’s quiet prayers

twenty days later, twenty people dead
100,000 acres just ember and ash
the state investigated the cause of the blaze
looking for a cigarette butt or power line flash
but this was no ordinary wildfire
this one started two towns over when
the virus surged and left scores of bodies
and overloaded the local crematorium

so it’s welcome to california
i hope you brought a mask
you’ll need it for the bug
you’ll need it for the ash
one horizon’s ocean
the other can’t be seen
it’s sort of like the future
it’s sort of like a dream
it’s sort of like a dream