Blake’s Fire

Fire, fire, burning bright,
weaving shadows from the night,
how did mortal man learn to
unlock the secrets within you? 

From what darker, distant past
did we emerge, free at last,
once we'd learned to tame then free
thy flaming volatility? 

For the magic of your light
gave us ways to fend off night,
steal back daylight, and explore
lands unseen by man before. 

Fire, with your powers near,
we outshone our darkest fears
so that, in caves, we could start
making works of timeless art.

What hand or eye or mind was first
moved to quench deeper, inner thirsts;
to–with pigment, coal, or chalk–
imbue their Self upon the rock?

So, with these powers over dark,
one last thought was left to spark,
as we, through art, learned to see
our true immortality.