THE PAINTERLY EYE
BY GARY LEHMANN

the mesa top is burning
it's Russet and Buckram Green
suddenly overpowered by back lighting

the fading day has turned to night
the skeleton of pine trees stand out against the roar
but then suddenly burst into Blood and Pumpkin

tiny figures criss-cross this Citadel
those shadowy puppets are the firefighters
their Yellow jackets now turn to Jet in silhouette

our Robin's Egg sky has turned to Monument Gray
the streaky smoke draws a Granite line to its source
basso profundo chaos in Taupe and Oyster

high above a crow circles, Black on dead Gray
like nature's janitor, Birch broom in hand
waiting to clean up what the fire pulls from its burrow