What remains
when
the smoke clears
the flames
turned
to ash
the remnants
of living
carbon
transformed
floating
the atmosphere
accepts
the heat
continues
but what remains
when
the smoke clears
the lessons learned
the soil
enriched
the seeds
pop
inspired
by fire
finding foothold
in the open spaces
it is not all dire
after the fire
when the smoke clears
the leaves
sprout
green
abundant
from the charred trunks
of redwood
new plants emerge
not seen in
years
it is a sliver
of hope
an idea
to manage
a lesson
to learn
we all have
fires
trauma
stress
fear engulfs
knocks us down
anger burns us up
and yet
when we emerge
when the smoke clears
we find
ourselves
again
a little bruised
but maybe
a new direction
a little smarter
a way
forward
that hadn’t entered
before
our brains
reconfigured
by the pain
we can take a new path
for when
the smoke
clears
sometimes it shows us
a new way
to begin
again
rise from the ashes
take a deep breath
when the
smoke clears.