fire descants

how tenuous is fire
when first it lifts
to heat and light
on swift igniting breeze…
before consuming blaze
sweeps skyward with its gold
to drive vast conflagration
to incandescent pitch…
then take care…lover
if you covet with a gaze…
mere seconds will suffice,
rush tempests through the brain,
addict like alcohol

*        *        *        *        *        *

when Prometheus,
that rebellious, wily Titan,
caught sparks of fire
from Apollo’s
circling Sun cart,
and carried flame
in fennel stalks
to Earth’s shivering mortals,
‘twas nothing more
than a simple gifting
born of a trickster mischief…
heedless of consequence

*        *        *        *        *        *

there is comfort in candlelight
like flickering prayers in naves
not frenzy of a Pentecost…
there is soothe in phosphorescent trails
behind sailboats in safe harbors
not St. Elmo’s fire ablaze from every mast
on Ahab’s doomed “Pequod”
so,  I’ll  dream with softer lumens
of pine scented candles round my bed

Bonnie Marshall

Art by Nancy Eckels