Before the Fire

Narrative poem

Photo by Yulia Ryding

Before the fire, there was the fire of neglect —
fire of the budget slashed by a pen,fire of hydrants that failed when the pressure dropped,
fire of empty reservoirs
fire of droughts renamed exceptional, so no one had to act.

Before the fire, there was the fire of forgotten families.

Before the fire, there was the fire of development —
Mc…