Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, FIRE, by EMMA REED SHOAFF


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

FIRE, by                    
First Line: Thou flame of the soul, o thou fountain of life
Last Line: For 'twould seem that 'tis thou that the earth doth control.
Subject(s): Fire


Thou flame of the soul, O thou fountain of life
That stimulates action and instigates strife;
That warms the cold-hearted and soothes every chill,
And stirs to emotion and makes the eyes fill;
That sends a force coursing through every vein
And brings form and beauty to vision again;
That lights and enlightens the earth and the soul
And makes of the heavens a glittering bowl;
That moves souls to passion of anger and lust
And lifts the heart Godward and fills it with trust;
That plays zigzag notes on the heavenly lyre
And makes the clouds boom like a masculine choir;
That drives powerful engines through sea, air, and land,
And burns into ashes the structure of hands;
That sweeps clean prairies and forests and hills,
And bursts wide the mountains and hot lava spills;
That draws from our bodies their moisture and salts
And makes of us but crumbling dust in our vaults;
That fills earth and soul with a beautiful light
That living without would make eternal night.

L'Envoi

Thou flame of the soul, O thou fountain of fire,
Thou canst make of the earth paradise, or a pyre.
'Tis no wonder that thou wast a great god of old,
For 'twould seem that 'tis thou that the earth doth control.





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