“WILDFIRES BURNING IN THE NIGHT Part One”: A Poem and Story about finding deep faith in the Divine in a terrifying situation
TRANSFORMATIONAL POETRY For The SOUL
THE DAWNING LIGHT Volume 7, Number 409
Thursday, August 17, 2023
The Journey Of The Heart Section Number 237
Photos Credit: Pixabay
AIR ATTACK BOMBER’S FIRE FLIGHTS
This poem is dedicated to all those who lived through or died
in the terrible fire storm that destroyed Lahaina, on Maui in Hawaii
A poem about finding deep faith in the Divine
In the midst of a terrifying situation.
All day long for days
Crowds of worried residents
Of our small town in the mountains,
Sit in their parked cars and pickup trucks
Or huddle in small silent groups,
All watching the sky to the south,
Where smoke rises in thick black clouds
From the raging wild forest fire
Just a few miles away that
Is threatening all of us with
The possible loss of everything
If the wind shifts from the north east
And increases in speed as the
Weatherman says actually may happen
In the rainless days of heat ahead.
All day we watch huge air tankers circling
Over the inferno burning beyond control,
Then diving low through the black clouds
And dropping their load of yellow orange
Fire retardant directly on the fire
Which remains still zero percent contained.
We are packing up all of our most precious
Things that we want to save onto trucks,
Sending them to safety in the north and west,
Moving fully into our motorhome and
Stocking up as best we can, ready, if ordered
To go, to evacuate if the wind shifts and
The fire starts burning through the forests
And wide open and dry grass lands towards us.
We are praying every moment, night and day,
For this fire to be stopped and put out—
While calling our family and friends faraway
To come forward now to help us prepare
For the worst, even as we ask fervently for the
Grace, blessings and protection of the Lord
In this emergency situation so frighteningly near,
Forcing us to tap into our deepest well of faith
And choose to trust and believe all will be well.
October 12, 2017
Still Mountain Retreat
THE STORY BEHIND THE POEM
I wrote this poem while we were living through the experience it describes as the Redwood Complex Fire was growing to 36,000 acres, burning 500 structures and killing 44 people.
It was the first “FIRE STORM” fire of such fury and destructiveness ever in history, unfortunately followed by many more, such as the fire that destroyed Paradise, California and now, just days ago, the Maui seaside town of Lahaina, Hawaii.
It was absolutely terrifying to know a shift in wind direction and speed could send the monster fire racing towards Still Mountain, our center, retreat and residence. We knew that we and everyone around us were totally vulnerable and nearly helpless against such a fire.
All of us appreciated the hundreds of firefighters on the line in hand to hand combat with the fire…and loved seeing the big air attack fire bombers flying over on their way to and from dropping their loads on the fire.
The smoke was so thick and arced that you could not bear being outside. The sky to the south was light up by flickering orange light at night.
It was a major wake up call for us…and we did wake up as the poem says in the last stanza.
Our prayers were answered, as the wind pushed the towering flames of the fire away from us and further into wilderness where no one lived…and was eventually contained and put out!
It is in threatening situations like this, where you are helpless to protect yourself and your greatest fears are howling in your face and mind, that you the true power of prayer and realize how vital faith is.
As my wise Grandmother always said…”If God brings you to it, God will see you through it, if you pray and do your part…”
Photos Credit: Pixabay
Original Revelations and Calligraphy by Chinmayan
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Image Credit: Still Mountain Meditation Retreat
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