Fires and Smoke

A character in T.S Eliot's The Cocktail Party is named Celia, "who has been not just disappointed but disillusioned in love, goes to a psychiatrist for help and begins her first session with this unusual statement." She says, "I must tell you that I should really like to think there's something wrong with me because, if there isn't, then there's something wrong with the world itself--and that's much more frightening! That would be terrible. So I'd rather believe there is something wrong with me, that could be put right."
This photograph was taken moments before sunset a slight distance from "the canyon" in Butte County during the time of all the fire and brimstone. Hundreds of fires blazed portions of the Sierra, and actaully all over California, humans unable to contain them for quite some time. Lightening. Trees bursting with intense blue pitch blaze looking more like angered spirits than flames. The smoke did linger for some time, not a drop of rain to be seen for, literally, months. That air was so hard to breathe...bringing a person to their knees to put face to the ground and maybe use it as filter...a dirt filter, an earth mask. California was so flamed up that one couldn't help but ask, "Is the earth punishing us?!" Or, "Damn, is the apocalyspe here?!" Or to simply state, "That's global warming for you!" It has been said this has happened before and will likely happen again. It would seem that there was no one left, except valleys and a sprinkle of friends. All busy being entertained, or staying indoors. Trying to out wit the smoke, to live outside in moments of grandeur, heading for old places where friends relatives are. Airways react under pressure, breathing becomes much more difficult in this new world. That, or something, something from another world...took the breath away. Leaving one lying on their back in the dirt, completely relaxed, tears streaming down the face, the last breath came and went...gone. A few moments, choked out, then nothingness. Nothing. Until, what seems to be song touches the ears which ultimately hears a calming, "welcome back." Breathe. "I'd rather believe there is something wrong with me, that could be put right."