Susan M. Gilbert

You want to capture every tear
And heal their inner soul

You want to banish every fear
And relieve all mindful toll

You want to give them a sense of safe
To be sound and secure

You want to ignite the spark of hope
That life can be good and sure

You want to protect them and keep them close
Because you know each laugh and sigh

You want them to know that each day matters
Even though they may not want to try

You want them to value who they are
And stand up for what they believe

You want them to reach for the stars
Because you know they are certain to achieve

You want them to know that pain won't last
That their strength will guide their way

You want them to trust those who are worthy
Because those hearts will never stray

You want them to believe that love can endure
To be honest, kind and true

For that is a mother's deepest wish
That her love will shine in you.

I want my children to know these things
For my own mother spoke of them each day

They are all within a mother's soul
Because that is a mother's way

The light shaded my home
in the eeriest of yellow,
as if sunset, forced too early,
cried and bellowed.

The clouds weep of ash,
barring heat upon the ground.
The wind came too quickly,
without warning or sound.

The air is still and heavy;
with caution we do breathe.
Our homes, our only haven,
we hesitate to leave.

We listen for the cries
of those who shout in horror.
We run to help our neighbor,
The heat cutting to our core.

We worry for all those that lost,
whose lives are all asunder.
Who will come to rescue them?
This is what we wonder.

We worry for Mother Nature,
her creatures large and small.
Their dens and trees all gone now
in a devastating fireball.

Our heroes are weak with tire,
yet they strive to carry on.
This catastrophe is dire.
Perhaps hope will come with the dawn.

Each year it seems much drier
than the year before.
California is on fire,
I hope and pray no more.