disaster smells like ash
as summer-heat becoming flames
in clouds above I see the images
of paths I’ll never walk
of dying woods, unwritten books
of photo albums turned to dust
I want them kept and saved
in heartfelt sympathy
Today at dVerse Brian want us to write short (40 words or less). I used every one of them :-). There is a huge forest fire after our dry summer, and today I can actually smell the burning woods here in Stockholm. It’s quite far away so there are no risks here, but the news are filled with the ordeals of stopping this fire.
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August 7, 2014
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Bjorn, It’s a shame there’s a big fire there, but good that it isn’t near your home. I hope they get it under control soon. —Susan
Glad you are safe from the fire, Bjorn. Hope no one gets hurt. I relate well to your poem of paths never taken and books not written. I long for time to savor photos, the ones I have left. Well penned.
From reading the news it seems that photos are among the things people bring when evacuating…
I hope the fire does not destroy any homes or beautiful sites. You know how much I love your country. I like the image of the things we will never do but whose memories we’d like to keep.
More forests than ever before in Sweden… also some farm-houses have burned. It’s extremely close to a world-heritage site of an old mine…. but I think it’s safe now. One person is dead from the fire.
That’s sad. I am glad things seem under control though.
The image of the paths you’ll never walk triggered my own poem.
Very sad about the forest fires, Bjorn. To me this poem can be read on two levels. Natural disaster plus human ‘regrets.’The many unwritten books we all have within us, the photo albums which never leave the planning stage, the paths in life we will never walk.
very cool…def emotive…and intriguing all the pathes you did not take, wanting them saved…that first line really sets the tone well in this bjorn….
holding on
to images engraved
within
we’ve been close to a forest fire at our cabin in Wyoming, and you’ve captured it. It is the cycle of life for the forest in some cases.
Summer fires scare me. We have family in California and they seem to have them frequently. Stay safe, hope no one gets hurt.
oh heck… you would never expect a wood fire in sweden… sad for the trees that die, the books that are never written on their paper… i hope they manage to get the fire under control
As our beautiful state burns, burns, burns, this strikes a chord. Powerful, Björn!
that must be one huge fire, because it’s making the news here in Canada too. Glad that you are safe.
This dry hot summer is wreaking flaming havoc all over the planet; forest fires up & down the West Coast; some bad one here in WA state; air choked with gray acrid smoke. Fires have ruined several of my summer vacations. Your second stanza is killer; nice job, brother.
Ach. Such beauty [despite the circumstances] in your capturing of the truths of the fire.
Very sad to see the effects of dry hot summer ~ I like your sympathy in the ending line ~
oh the all consuming fire…could feel the emotion in the lines…
forest fires are sad really!! i wish we could do something about them… we have them sometimes in india too!! you can see areas lit up by fire on a mountain slope from far away!!
very sad… makes me think about losing precious photographs to fire… The ash, smoke, the smell is of precious memories; I love how you said you could see it in the clouds…
Great short, Bjorn. I can relate, as my state (Colorado) has suffered many forest fires throughout the summers. Though, luckily, I have never been directly in danger from them. Scary and sad indeed.
Very real topic – but your second stanza was just so, so sad.
How moving! You have made it universal to fires and war zones any and everywhere–even the nuclear ash of places like Hiroshima and the people ash of 9-11 in NYC–we look up and see the lost ways and the lost ones. Powerful and moving poem.
Fire out of control is always devastating. If it’s any comfort, the tail-end of hurricane Bertha may arrive in your part of the world on Sunday, bringing an ocean of rain.
Smells like that and haze in the air evoke memories and stir ancient fears- something from deep inside. I lost a house to a fire in the late ’80’s, and the photographs are the thing I missed most, of all our possessions. Next was the books… Well done, Bjorn.
Love what you wrote especially in view of the fire. Be safe.
You say what needs to be said in a neat yet touching way here, Björn. I like it very much.
wow!!! very touching and greatly written.
I love this piece from you very much. 🙂
That made me catch my breath – I’ve never thought about a forest fire that way…”I see the images of paths I’ll never walk of dying woods, unwritten books of photo albums turned to dust”…wow, as I used to say long time ago, man, that is heavy.
Out of control fires are frightening…so sorry this is happening near you, Bjorn. It’s not uncommon here when rains are scarce. I hate to think of what people lose when their homes are engulfed.
fires are so devastating – so much loss – disaster does smell like ash –
Strong, emotional piece, Bjorn. This could be read as a metaphor for human death as well.
So well written Bjorn, bushfire season is never pleasant wherever you live as we have our fair share as well.
well done, love the thoughts of what is lost in the fire
Fires can be devastating so much loss and the smell does linger in the air for a spell..I wish I could send you some rain we have had quite a bit here.
… this is powerful – so much destroyed. But it always amazes me how nature rebuilds itself. It really is a risk when one lives so near nature – mud slides, fire, flood. And yet the beauty is unparalleled.
Oh, poignant! Always such a terrible risk in the summer.
Sad images of loss in those clouds…i sympathize too.
Your poem had a feeling of the last judgement. Loss.
so sad for all those trees..i hope the fire is under control now..your poem resonates the sadness of those trees..
so touching…….
Living in California and Northern Nevada much of my life, the tragedy of forest fires is so well known to me. Your choice of the photo album,I think, so well portrays the profound loss on human. Near here we have a refuge that is treating burned bear cubs. So sad.
‘disaster smells like ash’. Beautifully brutal line. The resonance with contemporary events amplifies it even more.
How sad. I am glad the fire is far from your place and I hope that there are no casualties.
beautifully written…the images of loss you express is perfect.
A victim of technological progress. Photos downloaded served the purpose! Nicely Bjorn!
Hank