Woods On Fire In The Night

We were boys walking in twos, along a man-made lake levee/dam
And before us the midnight sky was orange like a giant space craft
Or a sun had landed in the forest over the next hill:
"We're going to die!" my best friend said.

This did not deter us.
Armed with shovels and hoes,
In blue jeans and tennis shoes,
T-shirts Tide Clean we marched out into the fire of night.

What a fight!
It would go out then relight.
Hours and lore built up like a tangible mirage
Of something only boys could put out!

Victorious we crawled back into our bunks,
Little soldiers in a boarding school nestled in the forest.
How were we to know that relight might mean
The alarm sounded again at three a.m.! Fire again!