Hour 15, "Lahaina..."

2023 Poetry Marathon, Hour 15

Hour 15

9/2/2023

 

“Lahaina…”

 

Where to begin

of such ends …such ends.

 

A confluence of events…

and a town is gone.

Yet another place that ISN’T …anymore.

 

Fire on a California scale

worst of the century…

and the Media is just crickets.

 

Go fund me’s? - silence

Red Cross Pleas - silence

Doctors, supplies… silence.

Government aid and supplies?  Biden “No Comment”,

A final visit - a joke on how hot the ground still was.

 

The area is cordoned off by fence (newly emplaced) and curtained as well… a lot of money and labor went into that and victims still remain in and of the ash.  Mustn’t pause or stop or see or question any how or whys …or place flowers, remembrances, or even to cry.  No journalists allowed, nor pics to view.  No memorials.  No answers …just crickets worldwide.

 

Maui… Lahaina a past capital

incinerated… ashes to ashes.

 

The school district reported 3100 children

sent home to be alone.

More than two weeks - unaccounted for buses, 2,000 children still missing -

and they’ve a name for each number.  Quite for real.

 

A FIRE so fierce barely bits survived…

melted wheels and alloy accents 

- liquefied, running across the ground.

And yet living, unblemished weeds NEXT to melted car trunks?

The power first off - yet in places stayed on?

No warning sirens sounded; no TV/phone alerts; no evac,

calls or orders; no Police or firemen with bull horns or any officials riding the roads.

The water turned off, police barricaded the two exits

and turned would be survivors back upon themselves

and those cars WERE immolated ON THE ROAD

where they stood - occupied by victims, DNA found.

 

115 the governor’s total and 335 still called unfound

and yet 2,000 “missing” children - named and recorded

by their empty schools.  And the silence echoes LOUD.

 

Relief was unallowed

- people snuck in what they could.

Victims jumped into the ocean

and the sea carried many away.

Tears whisper as the waves lap the shore…

for all the little souls - walking their island,

lost and forever alone…

and only the silence cares.

 

Chris,

(C) Chris Twyford 9/2/2023

 

Author's Note

Feel free.