Trucks and tractors were rushed to the fields Where the immediate danger soared. The grain was hauled to safety While the nearby fire roared. The villages ofTyne Valley and Were the first to be in the path. Then it turned on Northam and With the intensity of its wrath. Firefighters then came on the scene With tanker-trucks, pumpers and hose. Then with all those mouths to feed The cry for food arose. The women of the district Catered to that need Until women came from elsewhere To help, the numbers to feed. The smoke became so dense That the people lost their sleep. They had to be evacuated And leave their things in a heap. Some homes were lost, but most were saved From the terribleness of the fire, And to have a torrential downpour Was everyone's desire. The rabbits from their homes were forced Perhaps never to return again; While in their tiny hearts, I'm sure They must have prayed for rain! The birds lost their leafy kingdoms, They had no place to go, - They could not find any shelter Though they flew both high and low. The smoke billowed high into the sky Like a cloud before a storm; And far away, the people could feel That the breeze from it was warm. Chapter Four ~ Moving On 105