Bush Fire

A tinder-dry July day,
Boundless bracken and leaves and twigs
Baking under a cloudless sky.
All it needs is a tiny spark
To start this raging fire.
And there a faint crackle and off we go,
A zephyr arrives to caress the flame
As it twists and turns across the welcoming ground.
Until it reaches the nearest branch, unstoppable now as it crashes along
All powerful, consuming, taking all breath
For an eternity of time.

The skies darken above the heat
Blood red flame reflects the matt black cloud
Until the gates open and rain pours forth
For hour on hour
As red turns orange to yellow
And steam fills the air
An unfair trial of nature on nature?
But I know that somewhere hidden away
Safe from the all-consuming rain
The fire still burns
And when my back is slightly turned it will rampage forth again
And consume my soul