Beneath the flames, the world turns red,
A fiery beast where dreams once spread.
Forests howl as roots lay bare,
Dreams consumed in the searing air.
Homes dissolve to ash and dust,
Memories fade, foundations rust
A child’s toy, a mother’s ring,
All lost within the fire’s sting.
Memories once held so dear,
Now drift as ghosts through skies unclear.
The choking smoke, a heavy shroud,
Hides the earth beneath its cloud.
Skies weep embers; rivers dry,
And every corner of the earth asks, “Why?”
Lives undone in a single flash,
Hopes buried deep beneath the ash.
Families splinter and love stretched thin,
Grief replaces strength within.
Yet through despair, small seeds persist,
And hope arises in the midst.
Neighbors reach with steady hands,
To lift each other as they stand.
Through ash and ruin, dreams can be renewed,
Allowing life, united, to rise true.
Emmanuel Baptiste is finishing his junior year at Pembroke Pines Charter High School and is on the officer board of the National English Honor Society. He wrote the poem “Beneath the California Flames” to reflect on the devastating impact of California wildfires. The piece won first place in the rhymed verse category of the 2024-25 PPCHS Poetry Fair and won third place at the Broward County Literary Fair.
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