October 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
On Sunday night before midnight
a fire started near Franz’s Valley Road,
or many fires started,
between Franz Valley Road and Highway 101,
either way, thousands of acres burned
in just eight hours fire moved 8 short miles
The fire rushed down past Riebli Road like a river
up the top of the hill
over St. Andrews, the golf course road,
and down to Thomas Lake Harris where utopia once lie
Over through the Fountaingrove
and down into the hidden valley
the flames traveled
past Leete and Aaron and Flintwood and Brookdale
down to the Sleepy Hollow
At the edge of the Sleepy Hollow the flame stopped
yet continued west
over the top
down to the Fountaingrove barn,
to the lodgings and to the history
of the County of Sonoma
the Fountaingrove was the piece of our heritage
that we left for 118 years
and therefore it was a piece of our heritage
Across the road to the Journey’s End
and with finality dark and red and smoking
the Journey’s End where lives moved on
right to the edge of the hospital
where people were to be healed
the flames rose up and rushed over to Coffey Park
Reverend Coffee, not the namesake but a homonym,
his Spirit was not in those homes
Reverend Coffee, his Spirit was in the people
that he guided for so long in that neighborhood
who responded as they did
Coffey Park went up in flames
until the edge of the rails
The flames on another trajectory
swooped on down past the Adobe Canyon
past the water supply
flame swooped on down to Kenwood
and Kenwood is gone
up through the Lawndale and the walnut orchards
onto the Annadel
the dell so dear to so many
Flames reborn as flames will do
through the trees
Spirits soar through the trees
that take souls to the other side
through the trees that burned to ash
and as ash
in breathe of God moved on
Down the ranches of Bennett Ridge
burned through the trees
more homes destroyed
more ashes blown as lives and dreams will be
Flames considered Wolf house
however the flames did not return again for more
And the madrone wood burned away
On Arnold should drive another day
before the gate could open to the private roads
the flames to jump
Tales are told
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Ancient wood and young vines
Spirit holders of the souls
and as they are all on their own,
in ashes on the wind are blown
The time to hold our memories
carried just as ashes,
ashes and the spirit fly
upon the breathe of God.
Hold your passion
hold to love
hold the kindness
not ashes blown away
souls of trees
flying in the breeze
then root’s forgotten lay.
Rest quietly
let the Spirit guides guide
rest quietly
among the flame
then ash
rest quietly
let the Spirit guides guide
the spirits of trees
moved on in ash
just as you
and I
will one day
be moved on
as ash
