Comment from Pantygynt

Excellent

An interesting autobiographical account of an adventurous time in your life. You seem to have done a few interesting things, another one, like me with a portfolio career. Nowadays regarded as a good thing it was looked down on in the days when many jobs were for life.

This poem catches the heat of the moment - pun intended - an d the rugged nature of the guys (of both genders) who get involved in such thing. An interesting read.

 Comment Written 30-Apr-2016

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reply by the author on 01-May-2016

Yes, a portfolio career, we both have had. Keeps things fresh, doesn't it? Lots of people reading this, who don't know me, thought I'm a guy - Lol. Nope! Although, to be honest there weren't that many women doing that job at the time.

Comment from tony bronk

Excellent

Then what exactly was your job? Sounds exciting to be there watching the fire.I saw a big one, in my small town, when i was just a tyke. Good work anyway! Good poem! Tony

 Comment Written 30-Apr-2016

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reply by the author on 30-Apr-2016

The forest service "Regular" crews dug fireline and did mop-up. So that means you use a Pulaski (a combination axe and grubbing tool) to dig down to mineral soil - which won't burn - and we often carried 40-lb packs of water with a hose to spray on linger hot spots to put them out. It wasn't the glorious part of fire fighting - that's left to the Hotshots, the Helitack crews, and of course the Smokejumpers - the most elite. I was thinking of trying to get on as a smokejumper but decided on grad school instead. (sigh)
Carol

reply by tony bronk on 30-Apr-2016

Thanks for the info, man! Tony Bronk

reply by the author on 30-Apr-2016

Comment from Domino 2

Excellent

You 'scrape' your onion, Carol? I peel mine, but maybe you're aiming for 'sound' which is effective. You use, 'scrape' again later, so maybe change one for even extra meaning.

Excellent notes, and very well for performing a very necessary, but sometimes fruitless task against the strength of the inevitable.

Fun and ironic inclusion of the smoking fire-fighter.

A bit long for me, but you held my attention with excellent metaphors, alliteration, imagery and reality.

Nice one.

Cheers, Ray xx

 Comment Written 30-Apr-2016

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reply by the author on 30-Apr-2016

You'd be surprised at how many of the firefighters smoked. The brutally hard work often alternated with long, long hours of nothing to do. Some of us smoked, and we all got REALLY good at playing hacky sack in logging boots!

THanks for sticking with it Ray!
xxoo,
Carol

Comment from brenda bickers

Excellent

Hi Carol,
good lord, you really have had some interesting jobs.
Tour poem was very descriptive and I like the way you speak of the fire while telling us that people were actually smoking at the time, what a strange situation to be in. Trying to put out a fire while stopping for a smoke!!!
Great read as always.
Brenda:))x

 Comment Written 30-Apr-2016

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reply by the author on 30-Apr-2016

Thank you, I have had many jobs in my life...Dairy Queen (hated it), maid, dishwasher, ranch crew, ski patrol, REI clerk, Avalanche forecaster, research associate at a university...and now the National Weather Service. Career started at age 38, better late than never! Makes for interesting memories :)
Carol

Comment from michaelcahill

Excellent

This really drew me in. I liked the comparison between the courage of the firefighters and the insurmountable forces of nature. Then the resignation taken in such stride and good cheer really as it was evident that all the fire fighting in the world wasn't going to do a thing. Cool somehow, smoking while watching a fire. I don't know why that appeals to me so. LOL
Great writing. Loved this. You really kept me into this and made me feel the heat and smell the smoke. mikey ;))

 Comment Written 29-Apr-2016

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reply by the author on 29-Apr-2016

Thanks, Mikey! It's kind of crazy, isn't it, to smoke while watching a fire? We were up on a ridge with a great view over Hell's Canyon, watching little hot spots torch now and then. What a life! Kinda miss those days :)
Carol

Comment from Jacqueline M Franklin

Excellent

Hi, Carol

= I enjoyed your sharing this well penned story.
= I would imagine that would be interesting work.
= We had to evac once for a fire in Flagstaff.
= We got lucky, when it came to putting retardant down, they missed us by one street.

=::= A Smile Is A Frown Turned Upside Down! =:=
Jacqueline M Franklin (*_*)

=::= Feel free to visit my profile on Amazon.com =::=
amazon.com/author/jacquelinefranklin

 Comment Written 29-Apr-2016

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reply by the author on 29-Apr-2016

Oh yes, interesting at times, at others just deadly boring. Waiting at basecamp for an assignment, sometimes for 2 days...
So you live in Flagstaff! Such a nice town. Glad your house didn't get slurried. I'm sure you know all about those poor guys from Prescott who died in the Yarnell hill fire...every time something like that happens, I really feel it...
hugs,
Carol

Comment from robyn corum

Excellent

I find this very ironic. To think of sitting there watching a blaze that size....while smoking a cigarette. And also - to think that our healthy, outdoorsy chick would even CONSIDER putting that stuff in her lungs and body - blows my mind. It's gonna take me a minute to get past that. Sorry. *smile*

Cool write.

 Comment Written 29-Apr-2016

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reply by the author on 29-Apr-2016

Ha ha, I know, it's horrifying. That's what you do when you're 25 I guess...

Comment from Barb Hensongispsaca

Excellent

Excellent excellent discriptions and verses used to take us in the midst of the inferno.
I am so sorry I have no sixes left as this is one of true brilliance.

 Comment Written 29-Apr-2016

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reply by the author on 29-Apr-2016

Thanks so much, Barb!
Carol

Comment from P1

Excellent

a very well told and remembered memory
it must have been scary to watch so much
fire and flames a brave job to do. you told
this story well and it was my pleasure to
read and review

 Comment Written 29-Apr-2016

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reply by the author on 29-Apr-2016

Thanks so much. We weren't scared too often, but we weren't on a hotshot crew, those guys worked in the more active areas of the fire. This time, we had a view off of a ridge down into this huge canyon - safe vantage point to watch from. Exciting!
Carol

Comment from Marykelly

Excellent

There seem to be two battles going on in this poem and they both involve smoke. The dedicated firefighters are exhausted from battling a fire they cannot win against. Ironically the firefighter in this poem is also battling a fight against smoking cigarettes that he doesn't seem able to win.

 Comment Written 29-Apr-2016

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reply by the author on 29-Apr-2016

Well, I should have been fighting the urge to smoke cigarettes, but that came later. By the way, it's not a "he" :)
Carol

reply by Marykelly on 29-Apr-2016

sorry, she

reply by Anonymous Member on 02-May-2016

sorry, she

reply by the author on 02-May-2016

No worries :)