Friday, January 10, 2014

663 : The Blue Haze


Poetry Jam has the prompt 'Fire'.


The Blue Haze

The blue haze,
An iconic image
Of our country.
We name 
Our mountains
The Blue Mountains
Seldom thinking why.
Why are they blue?
Oil.  Oil is the why.
Eucalyptus oil.
And it is why
They burn so well.
Have done.
Will do.
Only more so,
More often,
As the climate
Heats up,
As the debate heats up,
As tempers flare,
As some prepare,
As some despair,
As some trust
In prayer,
And some declare
It isn't there—
Skeptics,
Hired guns,
Acquired guns,
Raise their guns
And fire
Is the result.
.
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© J Cosmo Newbery 2014
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26 comments:

  1. Very nice. I love the rhyming.

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  2. I never knew about the eucalyptus oil. Hard to believe the climate is heating up with the cold we are having!

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  3. interesting...so the blue haze is from the oil? and how combustible is it? that could get scary...

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  4. perfect turn at the end. here in southern california, firefighters detest eucalyptus - they are 'bomb trees', which when heated explode and cast wood shrapnel, impregnated with burning oil, dozens or even hundreds of feet. ~

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    Replies
    1. A lot to be said for a stout English Oak.

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  5. Really interesting about the eucalyptus oil! I learned something here.

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    Replies
    1. There will be a quiz at the end of the semester.

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  6. I had no idea that it was why these mountains were blue. They are certainly stunning!

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    Replies
    1. The ScientistJanuary 11, 2014

      Yes. Technically it is photo-chemical smog.

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  7. I am wondering which mountains you are talking about. You must be in Australia to have that many eucalyptus trees in one place. Your poem has an ominous feel to it for me.I like the way your poem moves from the blue mist to human actions.

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  8. We're getting 44C here today, if it happens. Howling easterly. Let's hope the sea breeze is up to the challenge.
    There are a lot of eucalypts in California too. That also burns well on a regular basis.

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    Replies
    1. Australia's gift to the world.

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    2. I thought that was Kylie Minogue.

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    3. tfk-tfk-tfk-tfk

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    4. What's that Skip? You think it's Rolf Harris?

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    5. I liked Fast Forward's version of Skippy :)

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  9. We have given our eucalypts to India too. And those that are allowed to grow long enough burn very well indeed.

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  10. Fire and blue haze that mixture is a powerful force. Really brilliant how it draws you in and twists at the end. Very clever.

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  11. This is mighty powerful .... :-)

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  12. My son has just visited these mountains. Despite the fire damage he said he loved them. I think they reminded him a little of home.

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  13. Good to see a fellow Aussie here talking about our bush and its problems. I enjoyed your poem and the issues it raises. Here is a piece I wrote about bushfires:
    http://nicholasjv.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/in-praise-of-bushfires.html

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  14. Perfectly, simply and strongly stated...IS ANYONE LISTENING??

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    Replies
    1. There are days when I suspect not. There are days when I am sure not.

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  15. Your words always delight me in some way. Love your wordplay and am completely in agreement, it's there, when will they ever learn?....

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