# 388 E. Marigold St.

388 E. Marigold St.

Down at 388 East Marigold Street
Where grief of earthly loves shall meet
Where tears in somber eyes replete
Of charry, wounded, wandering feet

Down at 388 East Marigold Street
Where monolithic chimneys feat
To stand amid berating heat
Disposed to rise from blackened seat

Down at 388 East Marigold Street
Where pool sits black from ashy peat
The home is gone, no neighbor to greet
For up it went in smoke complete

But in the loss, grief, and defeat
Green in the yard, untouched by heat
Stood towering oak of oaks elite
At 388 East Marigold Street

These pictures are only a fraction of the Eaton Fire’s devastation. Toxic ash parades the air as Chimneys stand like obelisks through the countless miles of destruction. It’s a humbling sight to see so many people’s lives lying in ruins. Once, they were some of my favorite places to go, trails to hike, and now they are fleshless, gutted, and burned. I don’t know the people to whom this particular home belonged, but its destruction is a sober reminder that it can happen to anyone. No amount of insurance can keep us from losing it all. The only thing that lasts is Jesus. He cannot be destroyed, burned, or lost, in fact, he holds onto his children and won’t let go.

- M. D. Eaton