even the police chief’s house burned
I learn, this fact mentioned off-handedly
in an article about another officer
who also lost his home
and all the previous press conferences,
him standing calmly in that grey fleece,
one of his only clothes left, take on a new tenor
his clear-eyed steadiness despite
the incineration of his home for 32 years
attains a new level of grace
no, there was no earthly power
that could intercede with those wind-whipped flames,
no pull or clout or in to spare what would be taken
which makes it all the more astonishing
what we were granted: the schools, post office, hospital,
rec center, police and fire stations –
yes, much to be grateful for,
which doesn’t diminish the grief
the police chief felt that night
or that I feel now for him
