Sestina

Greatness of firefighting

Above me open  dark skies,

Beneath me rocky, uneven ground

Adrenalin pumping through my body

Pushing me to make it up this mountain

With a 30 pound pack, and a tool in my hand

Just hoping to make it to the pot of gold

 

Finally get there, fire red, orange and gold

Smoke darkening the blue sky

Blisters developing on feet and hands

From use of the Pulaski and the uneven ground

It was not easy climbing this mountain

 But I know it will do well for the wallet, mind, and body

 

Digging, sawing, packing will only do well for my body

But in the back of my mind I know it’s all worth it for the gold

It’s a never ending process of watching over the mountains

But when the gray clouds cover the sky

You better have your boots on the ground

And be ready to put some work on those hands

 

Black ash from the fire covers my hands

Aching, soar, tired body

Hits the ground

Ready for sleep, dreaming of the fires gold

Under the  clear,starry sky

Sleeping so high on a mountain

 

Body is black; and can’t wait to leave the mountain

And be able to wash these ash filled hands

Once again there is blue in the ski

Time to give the rest to the body

But only until the next lighting of gold

Then you better be ready for the uneven ground

 

Small, grey smoke comes from hotspots on the ground

Can’t leave hotspots on the mountain

Or the fire burning of red, orange, and gold

Will return and get out of hand

Even though I can’t tell the color of my body

I can only hope the blue stays in the sky

I touch the ground, with the back of my hand

To see if I can leave the mountain, and give rest to my body

For the next gold strike out of the grey clouds in the ski