This poem was inspired by my research on the Illilouette Creek Basin in Yosemite, studying whether allowing fires to burn naturally (rather than extinguishing wildfires whenever possible) can increase the amount of streamflow produced within a watershed. It’s not technically a sonnet, but I’m sure the world will forgive me.
It has been shown that right after strong fire
The rivers nearby may start flowing much higher.
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But what if you change the whole fire regime?
The many small flares, they may act as a team,
To form a new balance ‘tween growth and decay
Which makes water flow in a whole different way
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And if this new equilibrium proves
To alter the way that a water drop moves
And make it stay down in the ground for much longer
Then that makes the “let it burn” argument stronger.
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I wouldn’t say it’s much exaggeration
To say this could save our state from dehydration.
-G.B. (2013)
ScienceSonnets 