Monday, January 28, 2019

Dragon's Breath




image from willametteweek.com 


Dragon’s Breath

“A wise man will not pour wildfire on a brazier.”
--George R. R. Martin.

No hillside
is too steep
for the undulating
wave of flames
from a voracious 
wildfire;

fueled by
one discarded cigarette,
aided by steeping temps
and howling winds--
stew of death.

Top of the larch is
bare--lightning struck, becoming spire
or charred sad steeple.



Glenn Buttkus

Posted over at dVerse Poets Pub

22 comments:

Gina said...

steeping temps - a powerful ingredient to this infernal recipe - really liked the use of that phrase, very original to me and conveyed the urgency of flight from danger.

brudberg said...

I fear that the fires will continue to come... the steeping temps turn trees to tinder

sarah said...

I like that closing haiku - the aftermath, desolate.

Jade Li said...

the fire is like a predator here, waiting for an opportunity...

tonispencer said...

I fear more wildfires due to the heating of the earth.
sometimes the forests get so dry in the underbrush that a flicker can start a conflagration.

Sabio Lantz said...

So sad

Kim M. Russell said...

A terrifying scene, Glenn, with the ‘undulating wave of flames’ and the bare-lightning struck larch – all of that from a discarded cigarette and the stew of death! I agree with Sarah about
the losing haiku and the desolate aftermath.

Sanaa Rizvi said...

I especially admire the closing haiku.. poignant in its reality and depth!

L. Stevens said...

Very vivid picture of how one small action can spark so much destruction.

JIm Feeney said...

Vivid, Glenn, terrifying and topical....JIM

Mish said...

Perfect title. You used "steep" twice which was real nice....but "stew of death", that is a poignant and disturbing phrase.

Truedessa said...

Dragon breath indeed. I fear more fires and disasters. I wonder when mankind will be more vigilant and to think some don't believe in global warming.

Revived Writer said...

Yes, it's terrible that huge fires can sprout from one careless action sometimes.

Unknown said...

Well said, Glenn. Such destruction caused by carelessness.

Frank Hubeny said...

I like your description of that fire as a "stew".

Nora said...

Very vivid and compelling. I also like how your final haiku reminds us that destruction can be a natural-struck match, too.

Jane Dougherty said...

'stew of death'—apocalyptic language here.

qbit said...

Well said!

robtkistner said...

Very cool Glenn. You hit the trifecta of "steep"! This is a powerful write, filled with sad truth. But fire is a necessay violent aspect of the natural world. Flame forges the golden chalice. I love this one brother!

lillianthehomepoet.wordpress.com said...

“Stew of death” indeed. Good use of the word steep under horrible circumstances. Was horrified by the demise of the Californian town Paradise which literally turned into a raging hell.

Lona Gynt said...

Dragons are hard to fight, we are they. Furious pursuing rhythms. Terrifying.

Pat R said...

Love that first verse. Unrelenting dragon indeed.

Pat