is something of a misnomer 
when issued by weather authorities 

circumstances which are not unique
but reoccurring, with a changing climate

air becomes perilous
to human health and well-being

Canadian forests continue to ignite
as zombie fires plague the prairies

our breath is being taken away,
activities suppressed, and homes displaced

we must settle with these realities
while pushing for the change that is necessary

Jon Lai (he/him) is a lifelong resident of Treaty 6 territory in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He holds a BA with a major in Sociology and a MSc in Human Ecology with a specialization in Aging from the University of Alberta. His previous poems have been published in Boyle McCauley News, NorthWord Literary Magazine, and Capital City Press Anthology Vols. 4 & 5.