By Lana Pierce
The first time I witnessed HSFD’s Geoff Wolf at work was at a small housefire. He was barking orders and pointing at firemen under his command. As a firefighter on a different department, I studied something we call “command presence”—a quality that seemed intangible to young fire service members like me.
In theory, a housefire is a bit like a stage play: there is a director, players, rehearsed actions, and an audience. At its best, this scene unfolds like a chaotic ballet. Action swells, recedes, swells again. Often, it’s a bit of a comedy. Occasionally, a tragedy.
But there are men in this arena, despite a rugged appearance and a hard voice, who possess an inner artist. Woodworkers, leathermen, painters, writers. Occasionally, even a poet. The same man shouting orders 15 years ago is retired now, spending time with grandchildren, working out daily, and … you guessed it…writing poems.
Wolf’s career spanned 1979 to 2012, but he isn’t sure his career influenced his writing as much as family, sports, nature, and current events. (He admits “adolescent adventures and political buffoons” are his muse. In a time when free form is en vogue, he leans on traditional rhymes—especially couplets. But you’ll find fire and animal metaphors layered in much of his writing.
While his coworkers at the fire department register surprise, Wolf states his old classmates are hardly shocked. “Rhymes have rolled around in my head for many years,” he says, “I started jotting them down, however, when I bought my first smartphone.”
For those familiar with him, much of his writing is shared online, but he looks forward to publishing in print. In his words, printing the poems will help “build a legacy.” It’s for that reason, when searching for just the right one to publish for him here, we chose this 2021 poem about one of his grandsons, Croix, inspired by his football team’s ability to “snatch a victory from defeat.”
Lana Pierce, E10 Captain at NLRFD, spends her on-shift downtime sifting through old newspapers, letters, and stories related to Hot Springs.
INNER BEAST
Deep inside we have a force
Ever ready charging horse
Conflict driven adrenaline fed
Raging dragon could be said
Hunkered down mentally caged
Dangerous when enraged
Tired and mad not yet broken
Fired inside fury Smokin’
From the eyes the wolf emerges
Powerful will, energy surges
Opponents wither in the wake
Another victory we do take
