Remember that night when we had the fire?
We packed what we could; our prospects were dire.
I think I was first to notice the smoke
Of pink and orange plumes that started to choke.
The Coyote Fire was headed our way.
My dad decided to fight it and stay.
A deputy came, so, we drove away.
He saved our large house; it still stands today.

A circle was formed from fire mixed with wind.
It left, in its midst, a house that was singed.
In one of the closets, I found a burnt broom.
Fresh embers were found on handle of doom.
Garage had burned down; but, greenhouse still stood.
The broom, found in time, so, everything's good.
The orange/lemon orchards burned to the ground.
Rattlesnakes then, were most easily found.

From smoky ground holes; their dens spewed out smoke.
They lived above ground; our fears, they evoked.
The orchards burned down and now they are black
The silence got louder once we came back
The birds flew away and lost all their nests
and gophers and rats were unwanted pests
The chatter of squirrels left with the fire
Can't really blame them with what had transpired

We'll never forget events from that day;
We thought that the fear would not go away