Illustration by Gisela Levy
Found poem from “California sizzled with three straight months of record heat and raging fires” Los Angeles Times
I.
California shattered records in August, September, and October.
the highest in nearly a century
31 people have died in the blazes.
Martian-red skies,
layers of
a plume of
pronounced exclamation.
Gusty winds carried residue from
wildfire scars.
fleeing to
ferocious Death–
the highest on Earth in nearly a century
Spewed smoke
skyrocketed to new heights.
It is expected to become more commonplace,
the sizzling.
Certainly–
To speak in finite terms,
Some don’t know how much more they can take.
swaths of bone-dry fuel for hungry flames.
The months-long sauna
push some to rethink their future.
We are all in some form of therapy.
moving makes me very sad.
My 6-year-old needs me to hold her.
II.
a persistent ridge of
scant cloud cover
up and down the Coast
more than 1,000 miles
large enough to be seen from space
forceful enough to reach all the way to Europe.
the height of
an earlier spring
our vegetation starts to grow.
Arianna (she/her) is a senior at Columbia College. She grew up outside of Los Angeles and plans to work in climate policy after graduation. She loves orange juice and going on slow runs. You can find her on Facebook.