Bushfires Poem

By Sue Ellson

Living in the country
Has risks and rewards
Bushfires are feared
As nature’s wars

The heat, the flames
The howling winds
The smoke, the embers
Destroying all things

As everyone gathers
To fight the blaze
Volunteers and leaders
Make sense of the maze

They push beyond
Any normal limit
They do their best
Each and every minute

They fight the beast
And acrid smells
They gasp for clear air
Near sirens’ bells

Sweaty, dusty
Covered in grime
They inspire us deeply
For giving their time

What they see
Sears their brain
The heartache they face
A brutal pain

Some people lose everything
And wonder if they’ll ever recover
Others know they are lucky
But feel guilty as a survivor

Homes, pets, livestock and wildlife
Sheds, machinery, trucks and cars
Roads, communities, buildings and parks
Fences, infrastructure, poles and wires

It starts as chaos
And becomes a crisis
Then reality hits
In a loop of indecisiveness

How to move forward
When everything feels wrong
When nothing is the same
And so much is now gone

The only way to restore
A sense of normality
Is to reconnect with the land
And support solidarity

To meet together
And connect with community
To help and be helped
Towards a new reality

Whilst the fire has destroyed
So much so quickly
Hope lives on
Here in the country

Despite disasters
Trouble and strife
To truly be here
We understand life

The ups and downs
Night and day
Seasons and reasons
And weather’s way

Every challenge
That we overcome
Reminds us how
To get things done

Fire teaches us
All that is burnt is not lost
But healing takes time
And comes at a cost

As we gradually allow
The mind to process
That recovery is possible
And we will progress

That we do appreciate
Kindness and care
We can all overcome
If we continue to share

Fire will come
And eventually go
Save our souls and the land
And let wisdom flow

Like many Australians, I have lived through news reports and personal stories of bushfires throughout my entire life.

During peak fire danger periods, I genuinely worry for my fellow Australians in rural and regional areas. Whilst I can imagine what it would be like in the midst of either the threat of a nearby bushfire or in it more closely by what I see on television, hear on the radio or have seen from above when flying from Melbourne to Adelaide, I am fully aware that I am mostly safe and sound from bushfires as I live in suburban Melbourne.

Unfortunately, I am not in a position to either fight the fires or provide direct support.

What I can do is acknowledge the gargantuan effort and sacrifice people provide in these communities.

Personally, I am very conscious about when I travel in Australia and how I can remain well informed during these times so that I am not putting anyone else at risk.

I am grateful that most people heed direct warnings and advice and do what they can to prepare for a potential bushfire to prevent irreplaceable losses.

Now that Victoria has multiple fires burning across the state, I would like to pass on my sincerest thanks for all of the effort that each and every person provides, paid or unpaid, during this difficult time. With love, Sue Ellson 🙂

#bushfires #SueEllson #SueEllsonPoem #poem #poetry

Photo is of burnt bush near Mount Bulla, Victoria on 14 March 2020.