Fire

From Prometheus,

A gift to the human race.

A sin against Zeus.

For that he is chained.

An eagle eats his liver,

Regrown every day.

’Til Heracles shows,

Searching for golden apples.

Knowledge for freedom.

Strong giant Surtr,

The great king of Muspelheim,

Comes at Ragnarok.

Everything ablaze

Under his shining sword

Burning the world clean.

The sea takes over.

Renewing the world, vengeful,

For Freyr lay slain.

Amaterasu,

Okami hiding away.

The world in darkness.

It’s Susanoo’s fault.

From her cave, so curious,

Laugh to entice her.

Mirror shines, cock crows,

The sun is brought forth again,

Locked back in the sky.

Powerful Dragon,

Spewing flames forth from its maw.

Territorial.

Do not get in range.

Claws swipe, teeth sink deep, tail thumps.

Superpredator.

Elemental lord,

Only the bravest approach,

Wise and fool alike.

Small Salamander,

Asleep nuzzled into its tail,

Flames licking softly.

Elegant Phoenix,

Rearing high, flinging magma,

Reborn from ashes.

Lithe Lampads dancing,

Following the Witches’ Goddess,

Tormenting men’s minds.

Dreamtime, Payote,

A quest for meaning in life,

Find your spirit guide.

It’s in there, flicking.

The stars above reflect light,

Reflect life, joy, breath.

They wait for us all,

Cold in their distant glory,

To ascend like sparks.

I sit here tending,

Protecting, keeping us warm,

Vigilant and calm.

The wood spits at me,

Pockets of sap heating up,

But I ignore it.

It’s my turn to watch.

Tomorrow I will sleep hard,

The saddle my bed.

Fire cleans everything.

Dangerous and enticing,

I want to feel it.

Alive through this flame,

The common element that

Keeps us connected.

But for now, I’ll think

Of all the stories I’ve read,

And dream of the gods.