dawn came quietly this morn

clouds low not really roiling

looking gray and lumpy

like water just before boiling

sudden violence to come

peeking through, the sun,

not bright or yellow as

morning should be

angry, instead, shouting warning

“to the west, to the west – fire”

the sun, when seen, is red

nature’s warning, sometimes,

frightening, given dry grass

and sunburned leaves

and animals skittering in fear