Poet Theresa Ortez re-joins us today with her wisdom in the wake of the October fires.
Napa Valley Fire
Our valley filled with smoke
Hearts with love
Tomorrow is promised to no one
Bringing joy, sometimes sorrow
At times you may cry
Like a beautiful cloud
Life passes in the blink of an eye
Shelters filled: men, women, children
Animals running for their lives
No safe place in sight
Flames and smoke in sky
Saying prayers for all who died
For those who have lost all
My tears fall
Open up your hearts and feel compassion
Love and prayers for all
by Nathaniel Robert Winters
This morning as Rue and I walked the mile-long trail through vineyards from the library to the bone dry Napa River, I realized just how lucky we were. Smokey haze had been replaced with clean air for the first time since the Sunday night our fiery ordeal started. Overnight, light, moist ocean breezes blew the evil air out of the valley. Puffy cumulus clouds dotted the blue, sunshiny sky. Up north over Mount St. Helena, darker stratus clouds promised rain. Our little town of St. Helena appears to have been spared.
In the midst of all the devastation, I want to share two happy stories. Last Tuesday my wife Colleen, our friend Mary, Rue and I evacuated to San Francisco. We stopped for lunch on Clement Street, still weighing our options as to which family or friends to impose ourselves upon. After eating, while Colleen and Mary still conversed, I took Rue outside and came upon a couple smooching.
I asked, “Excuse me, do you two know each other?”
The lady laughingly said, “Yeah… I think so.”
That started a conversation where I explained that we had come down from the fire. They left wishing me luck. A few minutes later the woman came back and gave me her number and invited us to stay at their unoccupied apartment in Berkeley. While I told her we had other options, I was taken aback by their generosity. “Thank you so much,” was all I could say.
Last night we went out for dinner at Market in downtown St. Helena. In the back a large group of tables was filled with a group of firefighters from San Diego the restaurant had been feeding all week. This was their last night after ten days of twelve-hour shifts. As they stood to leave, after taking pictures, the patrons and staff gave the first responders a standing ovation. They and the other firefighters had saved our town.
On our way out, I noticed a sign on the window that said, “The love is thicker than the smoke.”
Indeed.
10/22/17 Nathaniel Robert Winters
Now and again I like to showcase the wonderful writings of my Upper Napa Valley writing workshop attendees. The following poem is by Theresa Cordova Ortez, a member of our Napa Valley College class, Autobiographical Writing, held at Rianda House, St. Helena's Senior Center. Theresa writes Flash Memoir, scenes of her life and family. This is her first poem and it captures the beauty I'm blessed to experience every day as I drive to work. I hope Theresa's poem inspires you to visit the Napa Valley this spring.
