A Fire Inside

by

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.

From the poetry compilation

Happy Hallucinations

More Poems

At last, perfection!

At last, perfection!

I carved my heart into a spoonTo feed you my love, my love.My broken bones fashioned intoRough and rugged forks,So you could swallow my soulServed on my ivory-white skull,Made hollow to carry your pain.I let my tongue under your teeth,My marrow in your drool,And yet,...

Do you remember?

Do you remember?

Do you remember?That lazy summer’s day?When a few sleepy raindropsCradled by the sky,Rolled over and fell downFrom their soft beds?You do remember, don’t you?How they landed on your cheek?How gently you woke them up,With that sweet smile of yours?How the spark in your...

Graveyard of Old Memories

Graveyard of Old Memories

I keep digging deepIn the graveyardOf old memories.No tombstone, no nameNo dates necessary.Daturas and nightshadesHovering over your remains –Marking where you lay,On your final resting place. My shovel hits the coffin –Wood once varnished with my tears,Now rotting...

Worms on my lips

Worms on my lips

When I’ll cease to be,And the worms will throw a feastOn these lips that you loved so,Know that they will sayCould they say anything at all:“In his last moment,He sighed your name.”Image credit: Feature image generated with DALL·E using a prompt based on this poem and...

Shieldmaiden

Shieldmaiden

Don’t be my Juliet, Nor my Leila, Or a Rapunzel trapped Far away atop A phallic tower Anxious to be rescued. Don’t lie half dead In a maze of roses, Or under a glass coffin. Don’t bother showing up In a pretentious ball, Wearing uncomfortable glass slippers, Only to...

Warrior Poet

Warrior Poet

The heart of the warrior poet Roared in victory, When he won the battle By befriending his mortal enemy – His own self from the shadow realm. Instead of smiting him, He embraced him. For he saw in him His own reflection, The seed of compassion Under the flame of...

Keep in Touch

YouTube

Become a Subscriber

LinkedIn

For professional purposes

TikTok

Follow me!

It’s a Rik Life

Rik Bhattacharja © 2023

All Rights Reserved