Flame
by ianblackpoet
Illuminating spark of grace
And harbinger of life
Hellish fiend without restraint
The enemy of peace
Philanthropist and vital spring
In measures equal, thief
Both beast and bearing womb of being
In balance, give and take
The element of living fate
So elegant and free
Kingdom, crown, and solemn kin
Devoured in your wrath
Tender, warm and welcome touch
The healing hands of light
Claws and clutches, vile as sin
The savage grasp of woe
You live without a breath, your own
And die without remark
In your wake, both death and life
You, dancer in the dark
Ian Stewart Black 
Perhaps it’s because my mind is in other places, but: I don’t think I understand this, this time.. it’s wonderful, regardless. You always do a great job. 🙂
@alltimelow22 – Ha, what is there to get? tis a poem about the vile beauty of flame and that’s all there is to it =P I haven’t written anything properly great in ages and it’s doing my head in =( My efforts shall be doubled immediately
That explains why I didn’t get it. I’m under the impression that there is more to everything than what’s actually shown, and it tends to confuse the heck out of me sometimes 😛 that makes sense though. Well, you must be the only person who doesn’t think this is great. I’m pretty sure anybody else who reads it loves it =]
@alltimelow22 – As with everything in the art world, you can understand it as you like, the fire can be a metaphor or you can look for hidden messages etc. That’s the beauty of poetry, it’s never one thing, but a million at once.
You are truly an artist and that’s all there is to say. How’ve you been? I haven’t been by to show some love in a little while. I hope things are looking up for you. I know you were down for a while. *hugs*
@poetically_truthful – Tis funny that I only tend to recieve comments when I actually need them. I’ve been thinking for a while now ‘I really need to be told I’m not wasting my time with poetry’ and then things in my personal (love) life took a turn for the worse and….yeah, I applied to do nursing at uni just to keep my parents happy, but then THE DAY AFTER I APPLY I find out that there are massive cuts in the number of nurses cos…too many people are doing it. That and my best friend pretty much walked out on me last night because I told him that I feel like i’m meant for something more than a mundane life. I wish I could just go and live in the woods, but I wouldnt know how to forrage for food and I’d probably just end up stealing babybels out of ASDA. Anyway, point is that just when I needed cheering up, you charged in on your white horse and left me a bunch of comments, exactly what I need when I feel a little world-weary.Love you lots <3Xx
@IanBlack01 – Ahh, your site is not one I will abandon. Ian, don’t you ever give up on your poetry. You might think some of these comments you get are full of polite fluff, but I’m serious about it. I read your poetry and am truly AMAZED. Not just because it’s well written, but because of what it is about, how you perceive things. You’ve got a real gift.Well I asked about the love troubles in the last comment, you may answer here or there. 🙂 As for the best friend, I’m so sorry to hear that. Perhaps he knows you were speaking the truth and was jealous? You living a mundane life would be a waste of something special. Living in the woods, huh? That’s a secret dream of mine as well. Have you ever read Warren (i think that’s what it’s called) by Henry David Thoreau? If not, you might want to. :)I hope your parents listen to and can understand your heart. If nursing isn’t what you want to do, perhaps you should take some more time to find out what you want to do, and if you already do know, GO FOR IT. If you need a friend to back you up, I’m here. Don’t hold back on your dreams. ♥
@poetically_truthful – Tis strange that someone so far away can make more difference to me, inspire me and raise me more than any that stand around me. I can’t thank you enough for your words, I wouldn’t even be writing at this point if it wasn’t fo you.I’m not sure why he got so angry. i think tension just built…..and he was just irritated that I am so focused on the impossible and refuse to accept reality. You say the sweetest things….I wish you lived next door to me =PAfraid not. I’m not exactly widely read, you see. Still, tis good that you share that same idea. I don’t see how any sane person can be fine with living in modern society…. except the insanely rich.That’s the problem. There’s nothing I want to do with my life that can’t be summarised in two words- ‘Love’ and ‘Poetry’. I have no aspiration to be a real hero like a doctor or anything. I just want to write. it’s so hard to be recognised, it’s so hard to become anyone in this world…. But you make me believe I can.
@IanBlack01 – I can relate to you. Not necessarily that I want to be a writer, but I want to live for God. Not as a nun or some other strict religious person. Basically just show the light to the world. The problem with most dreams is that the world does get in the way. Money. Things of the heart only make the select few wealthy enough to survive. I wish I could bring Edgar Allan Poe back to life and arrange a meeting between you and him. He wasn’t recognised until after he died. I’m sure he spent his life hearing that his work was great, but he never believed he’d be recognised. Sounds like a great poet I know. 🙂 I don’t think you will have the same story. Just never give up. The minute you do is the minute you die inside yourself. Never give up on your dreams, Ian. I see it in you that you are fully capable of reaching them. I believe in you.xD And when you get famous, I’m gonna go around telling people you wish you had me as a neighbor.
Haha, you’re funny as well as sweet ^_^ Ah, religion….Religion and I have a funny relationship, you see. I make it my duty to learn about the world’s creeds so I can be a better, more learned person, but the more I hear, the less I know what to believe. Answered prayers were…..yeah, pretty helpful for turning me to christianity, but then God’s plan seemed to undo his own benevolence. I tend to go to town in religion based conversations, though, tearing philosophies apart with logic and evidence. Not all religion though…unless you’re a creationist, uh oh.I like E.A.P actually so I’m grateful for the comparison…. ah, perhaps you are right. After all, I was made to be who I am and if all I am is a poet, then I was made to write.g2g, dad’s going nuts about somethingXx