the wind before the flame

When the forest is ready to burn
it sends a prayer to the sky
and the summer thunder comes
crafted of dream and distemper.

When the forest is ready to burn
the forecast is clear
the air is calm but a
pressure builds behind the eyes.

When the forest is ready to burn
it burns. Everything
in the forest
burns nothing stands before

the wind except the flame.

and the flame
takes
its time the bloody red
teeth of a wolf

The scarred path into and out of
every clearing.

When the forest is ready to burn
it sends a prayer
and the gods are never careless
in their comfort.