a week after you'd gone 
the fires started across the hillside
threatened to come slashing down
into the valley

the news told us to evacuate
but instead we took turns with your binoculars
drinking heinekens and watching the red burn

those fires lasted 10 days
had to move your funeral
and though the fire department still cannot explain
how the fires started 
all of us down at the house knew better

for it could only be you
trying to claw your way out
of the afterworld
just to say goodbye