Over the last two days I have been very active on my land. Where is my land? If you’re new to my site, let me tell you that I live on a large lot in the southern tip of the Baja peninsula in Mexico, close to Los Cabos. This is the semi-desert, but don’t let that description fool you. The desert is full of life.
Yesterday, I had to chop down a dead cactus. It was a little over 1m20, and it was quite beautiful. It was my favorite cactus on my land, and I was sad when I realized that it was dying.
So, yesterday, I decided to cut it down. I also cleared part of my land of some grass stalks that have sharp, nasty ends that tear off when you pass by and bury themselves in your skin (or your clothes). It is painful, and it is not nice for my little dog, Lucy (who is celebrating her 14th birthday this month!). Her hair is a little longer than the rest of my dogs, and those buds always get stuck in her coat. Nearly every day I have to cut them out of her fur. She’ll get a haircut soon 😉
I gathered the dry wood of the dead cactus, and the spiky weeds, and I had enough to make a little bonfire. I added some carton and made a fire last night. As I stood there and watched the flames whirl around in red, orange, yellow, and even green colors, devouring the wood, eating the carton and obliterating the sharp grass buds, a poem was born. Its voice suddenly made itself heard in my mind and it just had to come out.
So, here I am, sharing it with you. I couldn’t keep this poem to myself. This time, my inspiration came in English, not in Spanish as it usually does for a poem. I suppose I am growing in this emotional and passionate area of poetry 🙂 Anyway, I am grateful that my friend invited me to participate in a poetry slam last month. It has awoken a new creativity in me which I rather enjoy. 🙂
There’s Beauty in Fire
There’s beauty in fire
Look at the pyre
Yellow and orange and green flames
Green flames like the witch in the Land of Oz
There’s beauty in fire
As smoke goes up
And becomes one with the sky
Condenses and makes water
For rain to come by
There’s beauty in fire
Beauty and danger
Keep it controlled
Danger is on hold
There’s beauty in fire
So much beauty
Flames dance
And dance
And dance
Flames lick the wood, tackling a stray branch
Devour dead limbs of fallen trees
Fire burns here within me
Don’t fear fire
It causes death
But it also brings life
After the flames have done their worst
Leaving dark ashes, a silenced witness of its work
Earth will be reborn
New seeds will sprout from the ground
And plants will grow
Life will create once more
Thanks to the fire
And its frightening core
Hey Lila, another beautiful poem you’ve written here!
I agree that fire is beautiful, and much more than just a dangerous tool that we utilize, fire represents life in almost every way as it is merely a collection of energy.
However, I did not know much about cactus wood and what it can be used for. Where I live (Northern Canada), we don’t have any kinds of cactus beyond the ones that you can buy at shops. Do they make good firewood?
Tyson
Hi Tyson,
The cacti grow tall like trees, even taller than most trees, and so their trunks become hard and wooden. When they dry out and die (it happens sometimes, it always saddens me, because they are so majestic), they basically become dry wood, and they make good fire wood. In fact, the bark is also great for soil in pots or in the garden where you have plants growing, it gives lots of nutrients to soil, just make sure to grab it without getting the needles in you 😉
There are many cacti growing on my land, and it is an amazing sight. They are beautiful trees.
Baja peninsula sounds like a great place to live. I am from Arizona so I know that the dessert is full of life 🙂 Also you have the options to go to Los Cabos which is very pretty as well. Lucy is so adorable by the way. What a Beautiful poem, I love the part “Don’t fear fire It causes death. But it also brings life”, very true. You are very talented, thank you for sharing your poem. I would love to read more of them 🙂
Cheers!
Hello!
Thank you for your kind words! Yes, Lucy is adorable, such a little cutie 😉
I love your poem! I can see the side of life that you are describing there. And it is true that fire can not only give death but also give life. I am reminded of the similarities between the fire you describe and anger.
If Anger that we release is not good, it will only trigger new problems. However, if released properly, it can provide new understanding.
Just like a wife who releases her anger at her husband. If the wife is wise, the anger will give a new understanding to the husband. Making connections between them even stronger — this is what I mean by LIFE
However, if wrong, then the husband can think that he chose the wrong partner in life and in the worst cases can lead to divorce — DEATH.
Is not it?
Hi Kylie,
What you describe is so true. if the anger we release is not good it can indeed trigger new problems, it is energy that is wrongfully released or badly spent. If a couple can grow after the anger, then it was wisely released. Connections are made, understanding, life, yes, so true! I absolutely agree.
Hello. Thank’s a lot for sharing with us such an amazing poem and I really appreciate your courage to show us your creation.
After reading your poem, I looked at the picture you put here. Indeed when you look in the fire you can see a certain beauty. The combination of yellow, orange, green and blue are special. I noticed one thing, when you sit and watch the fire you feel hypnotized. I really like how you combined the fire and its result. All this process is spectacular. I would have a favorite motto for this poem: Nothing is lost, everything is transformed.
I hope to see more articles like this. Good luck!
Hello!
True, when you look into the fire you can feel hypnotized. I was looking at it for a long time that night. Your motto is perfect, “nothing is lost, everything is transformed”, I love it!
Lila,
What a lovely poem! Thanks for sharing. And Lucy had a hand in your poem’s creation. Fire is such an interesting element. With the power to destroy if not controlled, but when managed it has the strength to nurture, to warm, to delight the eye. I hope you will continue to embrace the pen.
JR
Hello JR,
Fire used to terrify me, but living in the middle of nowhere I learned to get over that fear. It is certainly an interesting element, and one that is extremely inspiring, not only for poems, but also for novels. I already have some ideas 🙂
The southern tip of the Baja peninsula sounds pretty amazing. Happy Birthday to Lucy and glad to see you got rid of the nasty grass roots! I like your analogies with fire and how it licked the wood, devours dead limbs and even burns inside you. So true that it has a frightening core. I’m glad you are able to share your poetry in English so well and I look forward to reading more, great work!
Hi there!
Yes, it is amazing, a place of rough beauty. I still have to buy Lucy a birthday present, not sure yet what to get her 😉
Wahoo, Lila,
Thanks for sharing this load of inspiration. I now see how you create an environment suitable for inspiration to flow down and deliver a great write up.
You were able to see both the beauty and the danger in the fire. You made me see life and beauty in the fire in a passionate manner.
Once again thank you for helping see how I can create an environment where inspiration can flow.
Hi there,
Thank you! Beauty and danger, a dangerous combination indeed, as long as the fire is controlled. A little like life can sometimes be, isn’t it?