The End of Fire Season

Autumn is my favorite season, but here in Northern California I have learned to thrive in winter, when rain dampens the threat of wildfires.

In the midst of drought, an ever-lengthening fire season, and the annual stress of smoke and nixle alerts, I am grateful for the early storms that allowed us to enjoy fall in safety this year.

This early end to fire season confused all the plants, so we basically had fall and spring at the same time. Flowers bloomed as the leaves turned beautiful colors. I’ve never seen anything quite like it!

This autumn was a breath of relief, a good gift to our communities, and this poem is my celebration of that gift.

May you and your loved ones also enjoy peace and security this holiday season!

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Tunnel Vision (August 2020)

God has a way of working in the space
Between the end of normal but before
The light at the end
That dark, misty space
Where we grope
And groan
And curse the dank walls
Where the sound of our own footfall
Startles!
And so
We stand still awhile
Before lurching ahead
No longer sure whether we’re headed for the old
Or the new

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When It All Unravels

I planned to return to the blog with a piece about what I have been learning during shelter in place, but the events of the last few weeks can’t be put off until a more convenient time. And so, I hope you will accept this poem as an offering, a moment of soul-searching as I listen to the cries for justice happening across my nation, and an invitation to my community to listen well and seek clarity of vision as these events unfold.

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