13 SEPTEMBER SPREADING ALONG THE COAST
WILDFIRES SPREAD LIKE THE VIRUS
FIRST A FOREST THEN ANOTHER MANY OTHERS
UNTIL IT’S A PANDEMIC
FIVE MILLION ACRES CONSUMED
WHOLE TOWNS AND THOUSAND OF HOUSES LOST
PICK-UP TRUCKS FIND FRESH USE AS MOBILE HOMES FOR THE NEW MIGRANTS
MATTRESSES AT THE BACK
AFTER ORANGE AFTERNOONS BENEATH SMOKE FILLED SKIES
BLADE RUNNER IS THE COMPARISON
OBVIOUSLY
SUNSET IN PINK IS A CLOSE MATCH FOR FIRE RETARDANT
SPRAYED UBIQUITOUSLY
IN THE PRISON SYSTEM
WILDFIRE AND VIRUS MEET MORE THAN METAPHORICALLY
CALIFORNIA’S INMATE FIREFIGHTERS
FREQUENTLY FORM THE FRONT LINE
IN OREGON FIRE FORCED THE TRANSFER OF ONE PRISON’S POPULATION
INTO THE CARE OF ANOTHER
CONVICTS’ MATTRESSES CHEEK BY JOWL
THE VIRUS SPREADS MORE EASILY
FROM THE FIRST CELL TO THE NEXT
WISHING WE KNEW HOW TO BREAK/BRAKE THE SPREAD OF BOTH YOURS TRULY THE NEWS POET
