fire.

as is my routine:
NPR was on the jeep radio this morning
on my drive home from work. 
this 
was the featured segment. 
i recognized the names of many towns
from visiting my sister in the hillcountry of texas.


as soon as i arrived home:
i spoke with my sister 
who lives outside of austin. 
her family had to evacuate their home. 


although she sounded upbeat,
there was still some stress going on
behind the scenes. 


she called a friend of hers 
to ask if she could drop off 
the family animals for the night. 
her friend said:
and where are you going to stay?
my sister replied:
at the school, i suppose. 
her friend said:
no. 
you are going to stay here with us.
[thank you, tammy. thank you for housing my sister and her family.] 



****


so.
with all the thanks i can muster up
from the bottom of my 
wild alaskan heart, 
i say:
thank you. 
all fire crews. 
thank you.

every one of you:

thank you.


****

only once have i had to enlist the services

of our 

wee fire station 

here in sutton.

my cabin burned to the ground 

in 1997. 

i lost many prized belongings.

i can still remember standing there

that cold november night. 

standing there next to a volunteer firefighter

who happened to be my neighbour.

we watched my cabin burn to the ground.

no saving it.

no saving any memorabilia.

no saving anything....

**** 

somewhere

"outside" 

in the united states:

fire crews

and 

smokejumpers 

are hard at it. 

so:

as i prepare to sleep

i shall say a prayer.

no: 

i shall say several prayers. 

prayers of thankfulness. 

prayers of pleading. 

prayers of gratitude. 

now i lay me down to sleep. 

i pray the Lord

all souls to keep:

those who jump into fires.

those who walk feetfirst into the blazes. 

those who have lost. 

those who may lose. 

keep all safe.

amen

and

amen. 

********