It’s Quadrille Monday again at d’Verse. The prompt word is “fire”, the deal is 44 words. The term ‘hang fire’ refers to when the trigger is pulled but the combustion doesn’t happen right away, a potentially dangerous situation if one looks down the barrel to see what is going on.
***
In the time before
wise counsel was sought
considered words shared in fireside chats.
This was the ancient fire,
the warm balming one
stoked with communal values.
Fires lately!
Kindled by hate
held overhead like flaming fists
reflected in raging eyes.
Sparking cold fear.
***
ShiftnShake 
Your words bring out the changes fire has foreseen. I miss the warmth and love a fire brings.
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It’s one of those things; it can be used for good or for nought.
Thank you for reading my words, that warms me.
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This is so powerful, and all too true:
“hate
held overhead like flaming fists”
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The torches of the mob. Very cold.
Thank you for coming by and commenting.
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An insightful reflection on fire’s power…warming or dangerous!
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Yep. Thanks for coming by Lynn.
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I like the connection of the fires of hate with cold fear.
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When fire comes via a torch it ignites fear. Thanks for coming by and commenting.
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So glad you explained the title (yikes) and how very well it works for this poem. Fear of differences and hatred that it spawns–we are so trapped in a losing situation if we can’t learn to look at each other instead of down the barrel of that weapon.
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Yeah, I wasn’t sure but that title just came so there it is. We are in a loaded situation that’s for sure. It would be better to sit fireside together, rather than firing off (literally and figuratively) at one another. Where’s FDR when you need him?
Thanks for coming by.
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We know. (I can fix it though)
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I like the way you address current culture without being blatantly political… in one direction or the other. So rare. Your poem reads like something out of the ancient oral tradition brought through the wayback machine. Nice!
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Thank you. But it must be political, if only because it is current. I also tried to allude to the old fireside radio chats as opposed to tweet bombs. But I suppose flaming torches really aren’t new in our country.
I appreciate the oral tradition comment, I was kinda going for that.
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You succeeded. I avoid blatant politically-tinged writing. Although my latest post….
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Boy you got that right! How we’ve abused and misused the Sacred Fire!
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A nostalgia piece really, for that (mythical?) “time before”.
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You captured perfectly .what’s going around the world.
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Thanks for the comment, I appreciate your coming by. I wish you could have said nice poem but it’s way off, things aren’t so bad.
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This is a scary time, and fireside chats would be most welcome! (And yes, FDR and an era gone.) Thank you for explaining the title.
(Of course, there has always been fire used for hateful purposes, too–that is not a recent thing.)
Oh–and nice use of the prompt word! 🙂
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Thanks. Kinda the fire and ice theme, fire bad or fire nice.
Thank you for coming by, enjoy your baking projects today.
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FDR – he wouldn’t fit in as a R or D… We certainly have lost the “spark” of communicating and listening.
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Yup. Thank You for coming by and reading and commenting.
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