the smelt are thriving

standing on the perch

of a burned out

black hill

with a thousand

homes in ashes

behind them,

beside the Pacific Ocean,

the mayor speaks,

then the governor makes

a speech.

they say together,

that

it's not their fault that

there was no

water in the reservoirs

or in the fire hydrants.

we'll look into this

oversight soon.

and yes, perhaps,

we never should

have cut

funding to the fire department

and have given

billions towards

the homeless,

or made such a drastic

expensive effort 

in saving the smelt,

but thankfully the smelt

are thriving.