A World Ablaze
WRITTEN BY erin kavanagh
published 17.10.25i climbed up this tree when i was 16,
to protect myself from the blaze below.
when i was 17, the flames began to lick the base of the tree,
making it less and less stable.
when i was 18, the tree threatened to fall,
threatened to burn me and throw me into the inferno.
but at 19, its grown stronger again.
its roots digging further and further into the ground.
soon, i will be 20
and then 21
and maybe one day i will fall out of the tree.
i will lose my footing and tumble into the flames.
but that day is not today, and it won’t be tomorrow.
for now, i am safe in the branches,
protected from the ravenous fires that threaten to destroy everything.
photography: noah phelpsmodel: aviva channells