The Bard’s Rewrite
A Tempest of Flame
Lo! See’st thou yon infernal blaze that doth consume the land with ruthless ire? Like to the wrathful tempest that once smote fair Prospero’s foes, this fire hath no mercy, nor doth it yield to mortal hand. In Japan, where nature and man in harmony oft dwell, a cruel and scorching foe hath risen, laying waste to all in its fiery path.
Two thousand souls, clad in armor of dampened cloth and wielding streams of water as their feeble swords, do strive against this monstrous tide. Yet the fire, insatiate in its hunger, doth mock their toil, devouring trees, homes, and fields alike. The wind, an unkind conspirator, doth fan its wrath, spreading ruin far and wide. The people flee, their hearts heavy, their eyes brimmed with sorrow, for what was once their haven is now a wasteland of embers.
The Wail of the Afflicted
O lament, thou mothers who clutch thy babes! Wail, ye elders whose hands did build these walls now turned to ash! The cry of the afflicted doth rise to the heavens, yet no answering mercy doth descend. The governor, like unto a noble king embattled, calls forth his warriors to the fray, bidding them stand fast against the tide of ruin. But lo! The fire heedeth not command nor plea, and still it rages, an unbridled beast loosed upon the land.
The wise do warn of further perils—more shall flee, and more shall suffer, unless fate takes pity and sends forth rain to quench this fury. Yet nature, fickle mistress, seems deaf to their entreaties. The people, with hands clasped and brows furrowed with despair, do gaze upon the heavens, praying for salvation.
A Land Scarred, Yet Unbowed
But mark this, ye who weep! The land that burns today shall bloom again. As did fair Verona rise from the sorrows of its feuding lords, so too shall Japan’s forests and fields, though now laid low, return in time to their former grace. The spirit of the people, though now burdened with grief, shall not be broken.
Let the fire rage, let it consume all that stands before it—yet it shall not consume the will of those who call this land their home. For as the phoenix doth rise from its own ashes, so too shall they rebuild, and though the night be dark with smoke and sorrow, yet shall the dawn bring hope anew.
