blue-gray settles

smokey from wildfires and the haze of late summer

so a blue-gray settles from the air to our emotions

red sky in the morning

smoky red sky to the northeast

as though the mighty Columbia were hosting wildfires

but it is only – i hope – dawn

we’ve had fire near often enough in the past few years

to be wary of more and compassionate

towards all who suffer terror and loss and fire danger