The Nature of Fire

China Fire

 
The Nature of Fire

~

here
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

____________

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32 thoughts on “The Nature of Fire”

  1. 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.

  2. 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”

    1. 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…

  3. Full range of emotions in this and the visual structure of your words match the photo – towers both. Excellent writing, Rob!

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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!

  7. 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

  8. 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.

    1. 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..

  9. 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.

  10. 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…

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