Elemental

As the forest popped and crackled fire danced wantonly,
Showering the night sky with bouquets of embers,
Trailing a wayward contusion of charcoal and cinders
She darkened the river’s cool balm as she washed her feet clean.

Her breath turned to steam as the ocean rushed to meet her,
Roaring from the estuary mouth in a tumult cloak of emerald,
Pushing up the riverbanks and smashing down the levees;
Splittering she succumbed to his ineluctable embrace.

Together they writhed deep into the yawning earth,
Whose placid fists of compressing soil fused their essence
And from it stretched skyward fingertips of russet and evergreen,
To wave at the whim of the wind’s fickle caress.

Until blown from the eastern dawn came men,
Straddling the horizon in vessels of bone and flint,
Severing the earth’s fingers to raise their edifices to the heavens,
Calling fire to dance once more from her ashes.