The bad thing is that it is very dry which caused two fires in the Port hills. It is in its second day and is still not under control. The one above is seen from Kennedy's Bush Road, and this fire started in Early Valley Road. The fire has spread here over 548 hectares and on Marley Hill over about 36 hectares. One house is destroyed and 24 houses evacuated.
One helicopter pilot who was fighting the fire crashed and lost his life. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of this hero.
Update: 15/2 On this third day the wildfire has spread towards Governors Bay and more houses were evacuated last night
Update: 15/2 the state of emergency has been declared. More than 300 people evacuated.
Update 16/2 The two fires have merged and 2000 hectare is burning, 450 properties are evacuated and 11 houses destroyed
Update: the fire is contained and guess what It is raining
The helicopters pick up and drop 1500 ltrs of water
in monsoon buckets at the time. There a hotspots
of 500 degrees so the battle continues and will for
weeks as there is a big risk of flare-ups
A huge thank you to all firefighters for the tireless
and dangerous work and all other people involved
in the battle against the fire.
I also joined a poetry meetup and the prompt for the next meetup is : Why do you write poetry
On the art of poetry
My live, a drop in the ocean
My words, countless pebbles on the beach
Occasionally I experience
The depth and beauty of the ocean
Occasionally I add to it
shedding tears of sadness
These profound feelings can’t
just be put into words
be added to the shallow pebbles
Each stone must be carefully carved
Each stone must be gently polished
Each stone must be lined up and combined;
to create the art of evoking feelings
to create poetry
and when you share these pebbles
with the ocean and they touch one drop
the universe will smile
with a stunning red sunset
ReplyDeleteSorry about the fires and the loss of human life!
Lovely poem!
I like the way you see poetry making: Your words are pebbles which combined with your life's feelings (a drop in the depth of the ocean) can create poetry (the art of evoking feelings).
Thanks Duta
DeleteThat must be very scary those bushfires!
ReplyDeleteIt is very scary as it is already the third day and the flames went over the hill and more people were evacuated last night
DeleteLife and work have kept me busy.
ReplyDeleteTrust me, I understand completely. For me, what makes the near constant demands on my time so irritating is that its always the same issues. In other words I'm stuck in a rut.
What a lovely analogy about choosing words with care for a poem like picking pebbles on a beach. If I were looking for words surrounding the firefighter/pilot who died, I would pick brave, hero, victim and sacrifice. I hope at this writing the fire is under control and no other lives were lost.
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely to read your poetry, especially with those fires in the background, & thinking of the terrible losses. I like the thought of you selecting and polishing those pebbles.
ReplyDeleteWe just came home from Christchurch on Tuesday and at that time, they had it 'under control' but it proves that you just never know. I do hope they get the fires out soon. Your poetry is very emotive.
ReplyDeleteHi Marja - I thought I'd commented ... but it obviously hasn't taken ... because I looked and tried to find out where the fire was etc ... I hope you are safe and that the fire does not do any more damage - though I gather it is not completely closed down. Your area has suffered so much recently ... with thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI loved your poem ... one pebble, one stone, one turning ... life inexorably goes on, particularly in the ocean - beautiful poem ... cheers Hilary
Love your poem Marja. I can see I have been missing some wonderful posts.
ReplyDelete