Photo by Christopher Raley

Fire’s Scar

The storm has passed over
and cloud-pent air risen up
to steel-eyed stars.

I let the dog out
and her breath-clouds whiten
in moon’s silver smile.

Rain has watered in me,
after burning fear,
the planted seed of peace.

Tomorrow I will see
fire’s devastated foothills
below snow’s glistening Sierras.

Even now unseen, white slopes
stretch like a bandage
over green spears of grass

that both clutch at
and rise above
the black scab of land.