Bushfire Elegy by Joel Deane

And the world is fire.
And the sky wears a smoky veil.
And the bloodshot sun stares.

Can no longer comprehend the language
of the land—
charcoal trees, dirt rivers, ash mountains;
molten buildings, skulled cars, silent towns.

Can only see a country burned into the shape
of words
both beautiful and terrible

—beautiful
being the harmony of voices
that are people and places

—terrible
being the dissonant roar
that is the call of wild fire.

And some words have never been heard before.
And some words can never be heard again.
And some words must never be heard again.

From: https://twitter.com/joeldeane/status/1194827183815970817/photo/1

Date: 2009

By: Joel Deane (1969- )