“Pyrophyte”
Charcoal gathered from forest fires and acrylic on mixed media
Pyrophyte
Craving, itching, burning to set fire
Too long quiet, dormant
Overgrown thickets claustrophobic
Shadows collapse, the canopy thickens
The light disappearing
Need to escape, get to open air
I try to climb but my legs are planted
Rooted into the ground
Up is not the way out
I sink into myself
Soul encased in a shell
Only embers can infiltrate
Hibernation
I sleep
Wait.
Break open and breath the ashy air
I am reborn
Pine cones scattered the ground at every place we visited. They are tightly sealed with their seeds locked in tight. The heat of a fire can melt the resin that seals them closed, setting the seeds free to grow new trees. The seeds love the carbon rich soil that the fire leaves behind.