Volunteer Firefighters

"The fire has crossed containment lines, Dunns Road has just been breached, Emergency vehicles have withdrawn, You cannot be reached", Local radio announces every minute, Evacuation roads are shut, Power and phones are all now down, You're alone with the smoke and dust. Then through the haze of black and red, Fire cowlicks up your house, Adrenaline shakes your trembling hand, Your legs, your chest, your mouth, It's just you and your hose in the fight, No mercy- do or die, Fire licks at everything you have, Everything left dry. Then, in a moment, it's gone again, Wild wind waltzed it up the hill, And you stand alone in complete silence, To witness what's been killed, When, from nowhere, the acrid stench, From animals now burnt black, Battle with the pungency, Life under attack. Tears now drop, you try to feel, Deep down you know you're broke, As you see the stoic volunteer brigade, Floating through the smoke, You fall, they catch in arms of love, Take you away from here, To a place of peace and mates and hope, With a smile, a joke and beer.