Controlled Burn Dude

Imagine a person who got up out of his bed that morning

With a slight hangover and late for work again

And he drives his wife’s car to the office, cause his broke down last week

He likes his job but hates his bosses and he is glad to get out in the fresh air

Today and loves the breeze that appears to be whipping up, cause it makes

Him feel alive and alert, like a horse in that cool spring air;

Ready for the world and to dance across the field

Today is a big day, cause it’s time for the controlled burn

And he gets to be the big star as he was chosen by the office

To be the one to light the match; well, lighter, then weed burning torch

He fumbles with the tank, forgetting that to attach the torch you have to turn it “leftie tightie”

And he looks around once through his sunglasses and hesitates

Feeling like something is wrong, but not sure, too vague a feeling

Oh well, what the hell; everything will be just fine and that coffee has got me crankin.

…in the old days, in the dream days, when the summer heat and the cottonwoods along the creek have dropped their leaves and the deer rustle the dry leaves and begin to browse on them, making little crunching sounds after having waited these months to feel that taste again that they love so much and there was no breeze at all today as if the great spirit were holding its breath and the insects had hidden some as the frosts had come and, today, there coating from past day’s snow gift was still on the moss side of the trees and under the leaves and the sky was rich with more snow….coming.  The sacred day had arrived at last when the elders had gathered and prayed and talked and chose him, a great honor, to strike the flint on the milkweek pod unravelings and the time is just right, we are sure, to light the fire that will bring health again to our beloved forest…….

It does matter whether we are in tune with the forest or not, as the art of tending the forest is just that; an art, pure and simple and no one who is not attuned to nature can do any good at all, ever.