The Nature of Fire
on the farthest point of the peninsula
an office building is burning
ignited by a single match
careless or criminal
not yet known
inconceivable
that such a structure
can be so wholly engulfed
but the fire was too fierce
and the distance too great
for rescue
but what of the fury
in that single first flame
to have leapt so viciously to consume
to ravage
to devastate so absolutely
like the rage of a repressed
and violated being
too long held down
unjustly deprived
confined
all potential denied
where there is great potential
spirit squelched
where there is great spirit
sometimes a whole civilization can be dying
until finally a single incident
the spark
unleashes a righteous inferno
that has no bounds
all around the good people gather
stare in disbelief
how is this possible
out here
out here on the peninsula
not realizing that such power to combust
to blaze so brilliantly
can only be suppressed for so long
it’s always there
ready to explode
like the fury in the head of that match
and when the smoulder becomes full flame
all will burn
out here on the peninsula
and in here
at the still and protected center
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2010
revised © 2018
Get fired up at dVerse…
This stanza struck me:
like the rage of a repressed
and violated being
too long held down
unjustly deprived
confined
An out-of-control fire is such a powerful metaphor for repressed anger.
I like the repetition of “on the peninsula” as it created a sense of immediacy.
Thank you Victoria. This piece had been smouldering in me. Your ptompt brought it to flame – thank you!
Holy moly, man. This is awesome:
“but what of the fury
in that single first flame”
“like the fury in the head of that match
and when the smoulder becomes full flame
all will burn
out here on the peninsula
and in here
at the still and protected center”
Thank you SV, your enthusiasm humbles me. This piece had been waiting inside me to combust, Vistoria’s prompt brought it to flame, and I thank her for fanning the fire…
Full range of emotions in this and the visual structure of your words match the photo – towers both. Excellent writing, Rob!
Thank you Jilly, what a gracious compliment… 🙂
One of your better poems, sir–so dynamic, powerful, and beyond metaphor; anchored in reality, yet soaring into seething poetic imagery–like Dylan Thomas raging into the dark eyes of death.
Glenn, wow man, coming from you – most gratifying. Doing my best to squeeze out the last drop of creative juice, keepin’ the brain trained, and hopefully, alive as long as possible. I have said it before, but it is great to again be engaged in sharing spilled ink with you.
You capture it well – how quickly fire consumes, destroys.
Thank you VJ. Fire is incredibly powerful, all consuming, if given rein.
I like the whole concept of this poem. It builds a framework of a tinderbox, where everyone knows what it does and how it does it but nobody ever expects that moment when conditions come to a place where it goes full flame. You have done a great job of setting a structure and a mood. Excellent!
Thank you so much Jade! You are most gracious, and I am glad you enjoyed this… 🙂
a righteous spark that leapt to life after being oppressed, those are the most underestimated kind of all. i love the metaphors that danced in my head from reading this
I am pleased this resonated for you Gina…!
This resonates deeply with me, growing up in Chicago and witnessing riots — the language of the unheard, as Dr. King said — yes… it is exactly like this.
In the mid 1960’s I attended civil rights rallies and protests on the campus where I went to college. I was no hero, but I met and spoke with many who suffered a life of repression and injustice. The fire that burned within them was so vividly palpable, right there on the surface..
I like the shape of your poem, Rob, and the way it moves from a specific fire in an office building to rage and righteous inferno and then back to the crowd of people staring at the tragedy of the fire.
Thank you Kim, I am glad this piece engaged you.
An eloquent write…the interplay between a present blaze and thoughts on the potential of combustion, of a single spark.
Thank you Janice, I appreciate the kind words… 🙂
I imagine it just takes a spark to ignite the “righteous inferno”.
In the right circumstnces Frank, it will ignite like an explosion…
The combined image of the burning building and the righteous anger made me think of Greenfell tower…
That was a horrible tragedy Bjorn. Sorry to have jogged that memory. Losing a building is unfortunate, but losing all those lives is unfathomable.
This is wonderfully written Rob. Leaves a great impact on me while reading.
Thank you Deepa. So glad this poem moved you… 🙂
Fire, fury, and your words…fierce and powerful here, “on the peninsula”.
Fire and fury burns and rages on many levels, and we can’t be surprised when it bursts into flame Lynn! Thank you for visiting and reading… 🙂
When rage builds, simmers for too long, one tiny match roars. Wonderful poem, Rob.
Thank you Sara… here in the USA there is so much rage smouldering because of our incompetent president, that I fear the raging fire of physical civil battles may result…
the build-up. the clarity of imagery. the intensity. so well done!
Thank you RW, visual poetry is my favorite type to write… 🙂