We became subdued
as sun through smoke,
our motions neither radiant nor bright,
we found ourselves waiting
for rain, for wind, for night
but there was nothing, no change in sight

I didn’t want to see the trees die,
I didn’t want us to be cooked, slowly or rapidly,
I still believe
that this is all a story
and we will close the book and walk away.

©Wendy Mulhern
August 21, 2018