Climate Cubism

To save one soft thing

The sky splits into a thousand riffs on inferno

as if Picasso’s ghost decided to paint the face

of the world. In Florida alligators swim past sunken

houses but in California the water has boiled off —

Earth. an abandoned kettle that sings volcano songs.

At the corner of the canvas a man pulls off a highway —

coaxes a rabbit to safety. In this landscape of edges

to save one soft thing makes no difference

but sometimes it’s necessary.

This poem is based on the true story below, excerpted from People magazine:

“One brave man has become a viral hero after witnesses captured him coming extremely close to danger himself while rescuing a rabbit from the wildfires ravaging California.

The unidentified man pulled over on Highway 1 in Southern California as the massive Thomas Fire raged along the side of the road to save the terrified creature, witnesses told ABC News. However, the rabbit darted into the burning bush.

As he searched for the animal, the man began anxiously jumping up and down and putting his hands on his head until the rabbit reappeared and ran from the flames. The man then scooped up the animal and appeared to walk with it to a safer spot.

Those recording the video said the hero declined a request to be interviewed on-camera, but social media users were still quick to praise him.”

The man was later identified as Caleb Waldman after another man claimed credit for the rescue.

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Lori Lamothe is the author of three poetry collections, Trace Elements, Happily and Kirlian Effect