Thanks for the response Daniel.  Yes, the psychological, social, political and the "devastation" that is tearing down the fabric of our "forest." When the original poem was written (I'll highlight the lines that were written by this 16 year old kid (me), I was only speaking of a real forest fire (no metaphor intended). But today, "metaphored" it so the reader can associate it to his/her feelings and experiences.

Oh, one more thing -- rather than a period or exclamation point, the poem ends with a comma  --smile--

Note: Revisited this 60 year old poem --- let your own mind use the current day metaphor that works for YOU today

burned forest

gone the forest scent, 
the crisp innocent 
air of cedars, lofty pines, scorched earth discontent

gone the forest sounds
above, upon resonant grounds
the quieting of whispered winds, silenced, loudly now profound

there’s no leaf-dappled trail,
no witness to the tale
no wild deer’s timid tracks…human nature failed

there is no birdsong on the air
no place for a squirrel to hide
there's only the ache of ashes
where a little world has died,

© Norman S. Pollack  re-edited 7/23/2020