Above Lake Yellowstone,
the land dissolves into cloud.
Charred trunks rise from the fog,
remnants of a forest shaped by fire.
Mist hangs low as rain gathers its weight,
the valley unknowing of what is to come.
On this night, the waters would rage,
taking out everything in their path.
By morning, the river would forget its banks.
The flood would spill through the park,
rewriting familiar lines,
becoming the largest in more than a century.
Here, the image holds the pause,
fire behind, water approaching,
the landscape suspended
between what has burned
and what is about to be carried away.
Image captured in Yellowstone National Park
June, 2022
Day the 500-year flood event descended on the park
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM
