Joanna Gilman Hyde

Last weekend while the largest wildfire

in Nova Scotia’s history

raged and was successfully fought

Eye evacuated to My Friend Dan’s:

He took Me to an almost empty playground

built by a dentist

against the side of a hill

rising from The French Shore.

Dan spoke in Acadian

to one mother with one little boy

on a swing

as Eye meandered to leave.

Then from the top of the hill

a cascade of Children — 2 bus loads —

suddenly flowed down

and around playhouses

toy steel excavators

through rope tunnels

over one stationary boat

inside the ball tent

and through one giant tubular slide —

” Laissez le bon temps rouler!”