I awoke to a plank of mottled gray smoke hanging across the lake.
The forest was oddly still, faintly reminiscent of old-time tintype photos. I read that subjects often had to wear heavy metal head clamps hidden from view so that movement wouldn’t blur the image.
I wondered, while they stood motionless, what they might be worrying about.
tintype
the photographer hides
under his black cloak–
working knobs and bellows,
to bring into focus
an unsmiling forest–
holding still, looking east
where fire and smoke
copper the sky
photo courtesy of pixaby
poem © 2024 Patricia J. Franz
(As I prepare to post, the Hawk fire burning northeast of me is 85% contained. My heart is with the hundreds who have lost their homes in this latest, horrible wildfire).
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Patricia Franz writes picture books and poetry. She believes children, dogs, and sourdough have a lot to teach us about life, joy, and wonder. She has raised two boys, four dogs, and holds a master’s degree in Theology with a focus on children’s spirituality. Patricia, her husband, her Bernese Mountain dog, Bonny, and her sourdough starter split their time between the Arizona desert and the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Patricia, what intensity! I can feel the threat in the distance. The style of photo and your poem also remind me of the old stereopticon that sits on our mantle.
“fire and smoke/copper the sky” — wow, Patricia, that is an arresting image. Beautiful.
Such a fear when fire is near & prayers for everyone displaced finding a home. We have a coupla tintypes that are so faded but heavy metal in my hands. Im fascinated with the head clamps detail! You might want to send this evocative poem to a place like American Heritage Magazine https://www.americanheritage.com/about/magazine/guidelines-for-writers#:~:text=How%20to%20Submit%3A,domain.%20Do%20not%20send%20attachments.
“copper the sky” – hope that you are not in danger! I can feel you watching, watching in your poem, Patrica!
“Copper the sky” What a beautiful line! The image is beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
“copper the sky” is such a perfect ending. Oh, my goodness…prayers for the firefighters. They are so important and it’s such a dangerous job.
Heartbreaking.
I love how you captured the emotion of the forest in the comparison to old-time photos. Nicely done, Patricia.
Patricia, your use of the word copper as a verb brings an intensity to the poem. I am still staring at the photo knowing what has past. Climate change has brought many different scenarios that have destroy lives and locations. I also send my prayers upwards.
Patricia, your post is so rich and sad. I’m glad the Hawk fire is mostly contained; it’s always so unsettling to wake up to smoke. Peace to all who have been affected. The tintype poem with the personification of “the unsmiling forest” being photographed is stunning.
Oh I love “copper the sky.”
Ooh, that is so evocative! Also, I’m waiting today to receive a head thing that’s supposed to clamp your head in place on long overnight flights so you can sleep. I can never sleep on a plane. So I totally connected to that image of stillness. And your last two lines–wow!
Oh, my goodness. SO beautiful AND evocative AND scary. “Copper the sky” is perfection.
Your post is so thought-provoking. I love how you saw a tintype in the image. It is encouraging me to look deeper. And the use of copper as a verb is brilliant. Perfect and sad ending. We have been able to smell the Canadian fires here— at times so bad I need to close the windows!