consumed (Linda Miller Raff)

consumed

I ache

for the defenseless trees

the parched grass 

the winged and fleet-footed creatures

consumed by

elemental 

raging 

fire

I ache

for the cherished memories

the impossible hopes

the charred shards of dreams

erased by

smoking

soulless

ash

I ache

for a world

gone up in flames

in more ways than one—

selfish

greedy

graceless

May the flames through the trees

and the holes in our hearts

remind us

unite us

and move us

toward care and active good

for all of God's creation

and all of God's peoples

so that we no longer ache

in a world

consumed by fire and ashes

###

c LMR 2011

Linda Miller Raff is an education professional, writer, actress, and public speaker from Austin, TX. See more of her writings here and here.