State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Wildfire

Credit: Cameron Strandberg

 

afire they emerge

flares of apricot and apple and corn yellow

taste earth from where they erupt

flames drip through their fingertips

shooting stars of heat bleed against slate sky

 

earth sings in all her glory

finally birthed anew

 

from ground up they transcend into sky

arms splay out wide to

accept all that is to come

 

wind begins to dance and

brown leaves take flight

spin and tumble over one another

 

twirl to meet shooting stars and

return to their chartreuse state

 

flames no longer eat dirt but

shroud them

emanate them

encompass them

emit them

omit them

 

never has earth burned

an emerald gem dazzling as day she stands

still untouched untarnished

without mar or scar

but replenished and

renourished

 

unbeknownst to most

fire is actually cleansing

did you know that a forest must burn to be free?

 

so that it did

stars burst from trees

birds flock a-troposphere

midnight wings beat against mineral gloom

fog smoked clouds cling in air

 

together

one mind one spirit

they burned and burned

they blazed and blazed

they glared and gleamed

a conflagration of suns

 

did you know the sun is the brightest star?

but on this day it does not shine

 

Originally from Jamaica, Brianna Brown is a student at Barnard College, where they’re majoring in Environment and Sustainability. Read more of their poems here.

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