Sunday, March 11, 2012

A Blazing Magpie



Child of Fire

Wrought as winter's embers
Still glowed in the fireplace,
Refined in a red-clay forge,
Hammered flat on the anvil
That was my teen years
And tempered by tragedy,
I became hard, cold, edgy,
But I know what it is to burn.

I have boiled over, bubbling
Like so much pastel mud
In a Yellowstone paint pot,
Shot steam-spray rockets
Skyward, young geyser, I,
With irregular abandon;
Simmering, stewing sot,
Quick to erupt, deadly.

Yes, I have shat fire alive,
Pissed kerosene streams
In a raging incendiary arc
On awaiting heaps of tinder,
And felt scalding salt-tears
Scorch sooty, puffy cheeks
As I wept over bridges
I had sacked and ashed.

Today I am inferno incarnate,
Tin dipper melting in hand
As I try and fail once more
To fetch just a healing sip
From the waiting, loving pool
Which longs to quench me.
My soul pops and crackles,
Son of flames, I am consumed.


This is a Magpie Tale. To read more, or to participate, click here!

14 comments:

Tess Kincaid said...

Powerful...this one needs asbestos gloves...

The Bug said...

Wow - Tess is right! It should be read with a tall glass of cold water nearby...

Grace Curtis said...

Powerful images!

Helen said...

The intensity in your Mag today is palpable! Nice.

Unknown said...

Sometimes it feels better when a person takes what is inside, and gives it away outside to empathetic peeps.

Talk about piss and vinegar!! ♥

Karen said...

Oh my! I'm scorched by the flames! Each stanza could stand alone ... and burn!

Karen said...

Wow...potent!

Silent Otto said...

Wow man, all that and a cooling pool, smells like evolution to me !

Jo said...

Love this, Michael.The red-clay forge says it all.

Forget the melting dipper, though. Just dive right into that healing pool, man! ♥

Wayne Pitchko said...

really like the imagery here...thanks for sharing

Susan Anderson said...

Whew! This one sizzles for sure.

=)

NCmountainwoman said...

Definitely blazing. And so powerful I can almost feel the heat.

hyperCRYPTICal said...

Excellent write!

Anna :o]

STILLMAGNOLIA said...

Amazing images. I dropped over from The Bugs. Glad I did.