Smoke Rising Poem by Grant House

Smoke rising over our city
The most recent wildfire
Reminding us of our tentative relationship with nature
The wild and volatile interface
Between the everyday dream state
What passes for reality
And the realm beyond our control
The cosmos locally comprising dirt, air, fire, and water that never lies

On this day of Thanksgiving
When the rains have come and vanquished for this time being
That fearsome blaze
I feel a different gratitude rising
A nearly impossible to describe appreciation
For an awful awakening to five atrocities upon which our nation was founded and without which it fears it would not continue to thrive

First the rolling wave of genocide
The great taking of the land by force and violence from those who were here before
Unparalleled decimation of peoples and cultures whose crime was existing where others desired to manifest their destiny
Suffering beyond comprehension and betrayal
Over and over again

Second the abomination of slavery and all its consequences
The wholesale dehumanization and subjugation of masses of human beings treated as chattel
The sin at the heart of so much wealth and privilege today still enduring
Perpetuated by hateful acts, policies and traditions
Disparity of opportunity and constrained possibility embedded in casual misunderstanding, unawareness, and common discourse

Third, the consumption of natural resources beyond any plausible sustainability
Plundering, laying waste, and consuming to the detriment of life on the planet
A culture of destruction of the earth and atmosphere even as we have grown in awareness to know better

Fourth, the fear of those not like "us"
The rejection of the stranger, wanderer, refugee, immigrant, visitor, laborer
Us versus them, the barbaric other syndrome
A nearly complete lack of empathy
Religions at war, cultures walling themselves off in fear and isolation

Fifth, the concentration of wealth in the hands of so few
The impoverishment of the great majority of humankind
The unnecessary suffering as available resources are not shared
Education and opportunity withheld
Healthcare, food, and water unavailable
Vulnerability to natural forces increasing worldwide
Indifference to all this suffering prevailing

I am grateful for an awakening to the reality of these manifest injustices and inequities
An awakening stirring among us
Distinct among all the inhabitants of this unique and so far lonely planet
An awakening to the harm and suffering we have brought on our neighbors, families, and those who might otherwise be our friends
And an awakening to this fact
We can do better
Our eyes can be opened
And our hearts as well

Blessed are those who know of these things and who act to make things better
Blessed are those who recognize the apathy, indifference, or even the daily unconsciousness
The unawareness and sadly
The effects of disinformation and propaganda that distort and hide the impacts of a culture of exploitation

We who find ourselves immersed in the value of inclusion and sharing of cultures and knowledge
Who realize the dangers of exclusion and dehumanization of those who are different
And the immense opportunity embedded in a sharing and respecting mindset
Of openness and awe
We can start in gratitude even for the painful understanding of how we got here

Then with all our heart and in recognition of the immensity of the task before us
With intuition and depth of feeling
Empathy, caring, and understanding
We might employ humility and courage to heal the world
To begin to make amends
To repair our broken approach to being on this living planet
As stewards and friends

My gratitude is anchored in a confidence that we are in fact one
One in spirit
Whole and complete
Challenged yet capable for the journey to health and well being
A restored and viable integration with all nature and one another

In gratitude and hope
I share these insights
Humbly may we find our calling
To make this house
Our home
To treat our neighbors
As ourselves
With love and appreciation
Respect and kindness
One spirit
Expressing itself
Through each and every one of us
You and me
Alive and aware
Sharing this precious now
Together

Ashes rising in the air today
Settle to the ground with the rain pouring down from dark clouds above
They nourish the earth
New life will grow
Green and prosperous
May we rise up powerfully
Arms raised like native grasses
In courage, determination, humility, and hope