Persistent Rising

fear and violence  move quickly 
bush fires leaving behind ash 

moonlight reveals outlines of destroyed life 
ghostly maps traced on earth 
leading to what had been 

in a vista of singe 
surprising survivors 
whose green had been ingrained 
deep enough to escape 
 
or perhaps only lucky ones 
passed over 
when fire storms raged too quickly 
to catch hold

these randoms 
have slower pace 

vegetable intelligence
showing earliest shoots a way to suck life 
from day's resurrection

which in itself holds dangers
searings and grazings

but still 
precarious life
persistent rising

poem “Persistent Rising” by Jo Mariner / photograph and poem by CAConrad