Dear Editor,
I’m a long-time resident of Hollywood and the author of the self-published book, “Go to the Special Place Life Calls You,” I evacuated from the Sunset fire in Hollywood and wrote this afterward.
The wind built steady all day,
rustling then whipping
A restless demon of the desert descending
Palm fronds skittering past my feet
A foreboding feeling leaves me shuddering
Santa Ana’sAna’s are coming to L.A.
Vengeful destroyer through the canyon rends
Revenge
On the glistening city where youth never ends
A great gust sends a powerline down
Santa Ana’s have come to town
There’sThere’s smoke on Eaton Canyon ridge
Thin, then thick, now we can see bright flames lick
Finally, the sirens sound
Already it doesn’t look good
Santa Ana’s hurling embers around
Pacific Palisades in the sun
Is now ablaze, better run
An inferno in paradise
it humbles both the rich and the poor
the heat beats down,
the black air burns
Santa Ana’s bashing on the door
Look right into the approaching flames
Restless Death might have your name
Once-distant threats now in front of thee
Run fast, and you just might survive
Santa Ana’s coming for me
Fate comes in so many forms
Nothing lasts forever, ya’’ know
Someday certainly will be your last
Even mighty empires must pass
So live and live right, my friend
Before the Santa Ana winds descend
Joe Gallagher, Hollywood