An Ode To Those of the Cali Furnance

(APROPOS OF 11/21/2018) i The fires came and the winds blew; Nothing remained the same— If only they knew…praying for the rain; The floods came the next day And the flowing mud had its way: Houses that had remained Went down the mountain drain; But they vowed they would build again Knowing that they were not the blame And that the old Devil would be put to shame; For they remained filled with sparkling hope And fueled by igniting faith in ways to cope; ii How could they have ever known That the fire next time Would be so dreadfully blown Consuming all they held so sublime? Yet, despite the devastating cost Etched memories would not be lost; The heavenly Eagle had stirred the nest And their souls’ spirits had survived the test. iii Without caring to warn, fiercely famished Flames came knocking at fuel’s gate— Like flesh-eating bacteria Scorching the ripe Cali landscape; Most were devoured within the path of the flames, Leaving ashy structural architectural shards And remnants of charred human remains Laying naked among charcoal baked clods; If only they had known—even imagined—at least… Nature’s unleashing of such a power—a roaring beast, With strange winds carrying sparking needles of pain’s grief; iv Destruction and death raised ice bed thoughts of long ago— Of the charred cities of Sodom and Gomorrah— But healing memories fired flaming faith with spirit filled Gloria: Remembering Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah— Also known as Meshack, Shadrach, and Abednego; In the end, deliverance came sweeping along the charcoaled way, And the sunrise of time granted them a new blessed day As the mournful death charred journey remained to be tread; The Most High, Jehovah, heard their prayers and nodded His head. v Everything under the sun and moon come in due season; Whatever nature brings, the Creator will reveal His reason. Know then that for what has come, you are not to be blamed; For in due season, the old Devil will surely fall and be shamed.