Poem: "Hard Fire"


Hard Fire

duro fulgor resuelto ya en cristal y claridad pacífica
—Octavio Paz, “El río”

I burn my body up.
or rather it burns me,
not for a greasy plate
but brilliant clarity.

Not eye nor stub of toe,
not even strand of hair,
in lighting up the night
my furious heart will spare.

Not smoke nor flickering
but an unearthly blue
will pierce the veil of sky
when burning me is through.

*

Comments

Eric Norris said…
Liltingly lyrical!

Reminds me of Pater more than Paz. (Walter, I mean, not my Dad.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Pater
3:47 PM
Greg said…
I like this a lot. Thank you Jee.
5:38 PM
Jee Leong said…
Thanks, Eric and Greg. I am particularly pleased with the last line.
11:59 AM
Greg said…
I like the last line a lot too.
4:43 PM
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