Shawn L. Bird

Original poetry, commentary, and fiction. All copyrights reserved.

tanka- fire August 10, 2013

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 8:33 am
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Illuminated sky,

brazing forest surrounds us.

Pile life in the car

Ghostly rain of pine needles

That are powder at my touch.

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This month is the tenth anniversary of the Okanagan Mountain Fire.  In 2003 this devastating fire surrounded the hills in Kelowna, led to the evacution of 27,000 people (including my parents). 239 buildings were destroyed.  As we were evacuating my parents, ash was falling from the sky.  When we looked into our boxes later, they had many grey pine needles in, but when I reached to pick them out, they dissolved.

 

Okanagan Mountain Fire evacuation, August 2003 August 9, 2011

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 1:37 am
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This was my second entry on the theme of fire for the Burnaby Writers Society poetry contest. One more month until winners are announced.  I played around with stanza parallelism here, sometimes using strict rhyme, sometimes consonance.  I had never seen this done before, so I was impressed with how well it worked.

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Okanagan Mountain Fire evacuation, August 2003

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Fears.
A crimson hill glows above.
High from here, grey clouded skies
shower us in ghosts of pine needles
that dissolve at my touch
into powdered ashes,
while I load the van with memories.

.

Tears
Glisten, fill, flow out of,
My father’s grave, clouded eyes.
Cowering and aghast in pain, he huddles
and revolves as he’s nudged,
disempowered, ashen.
While I lead the man, his tremors ease.

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This poem was linked to the Poetry Potluck on the theme of history and events.  If you are visiting from the potluck, please include a direct link to your poem in a comment below.  Thanks!  It makes it easier for all participants that way.

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Poem-Fire of you July 10, 2011

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:47 am
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This poem was written as a submission to the Burnaby Writers Society Poetry contest.  The theme was fire, and poets were encouraged to interpret the theme.  Still 2 months before winners will be announced.  

September 2011: This one was a contest finalist! Yay!

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You reached

into the flames

and  plucked an ember

that glowed with

happiness and hope

upon your palm.

.

In the

wavering sphere

of gold and crimson

light, I glimpsed our

future in flickering

depths.

.

But when I reached to take it in my grasp

you clasped

your fist closed,

so the glow

of my hope

spilled

from

your

fingers.

.

“No,” you said.

“It will burn you.”

.

Truth scorched through

the kindness in your eyes, but could not

extinguish my anguish,

even as you wrapped me in your arms

and murmured worthless words of consolation.

.

I didn’t want your wisdom.

I wanted fire.