A spark was born today,
Lit deep within
An ashen womb.
Rising from the dead,
Like a lone blade of grass
Peering through the cracks
Of a boulder tamed
By time and weather,
Spreading its wing
To swim in the wind.
Curiosity brimming,
And bubbling to know more!
A fire manifested
From the sparks of hope,
From relentless clashes
Of rough, rugged flint
Striking its skin
To death-cold steel.
It grew stronger
As you fed it tinder.
From smouldering ashes
Now rose a flame.
Now, be careful, friend,
How you wield this beast!
If you let it starve
For far too long,
Grow weaker, it will,
And perish in its ashes.
But let the hungry heart
Consume your anger,
Its hunger sated
With your rage
Be certain, it will set ablaze
You and your world,
Burned to a crisp.
Take good care
Of this inner fire.
Cherish it if you have
Lost it before.
Keep it fed enough.
Put it on a leash
And let it brighten your way
When your path gets dark,
Or warm your soul
When your heart gets cold.
Keep it alive!
And keep it aflame!
Not just for you,
But for the worlds to come…

Image credit: Feature image generated with DALL·E using a prompt based on this poem and its themes.
If this piece resonates with you and you’re a visual artist, I’d love to feature your own soul-crafted work in place of the AI image.