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Fire Up Creativity—dVerse Poetics
Greetings, fellow wordsmiths. This is Victoria, guest-hosting for you on a beautiful autumn day in the Eastern Sierra. The winds have settled down; we’ve had some rain blessing our all-too-dry high desert, with snow promised for the end of the week.
Less than 3 hours from here, the people of Paradise, California are suffering the results of the most devastating fire in California history. The last I saw, the number of those unable to escape the flames was at 82, while somewhere around 1000 human lives were as yet unaccounted for. Needless to say, fire has been on my mind.
Fire is destructive, that’s clear. But it also has other aspects. There can be purifying benefits, clearing the earth for new growth, or perhaps symbolizing the end of an unhealthy relationship when letters or other mementos are set free of one’s obsession. The fire in a hearth brings warmth and comfort, the burning wick of a candle, light. And fire in the heart brings the passion needed to connect and create.
For today’s Poetics, think about one of these or the many other possibilities that apply to fire, and bring us the results of your burning creativity. I look forward to reading them all.
Go ahead and write your poem in whatever form you choose while respecting the theme of fire. Post your poem on your site and link it to dVerse, using Mr. Linky at the bottom of this post. Please link dVerse to your social media sites as well. Be sure to read and comment on the work of other participants. We love the community aspects of this site and the encouragement we give to one another.
Thank you for being a refuge for us in the world of so many challenges.
dVerse 
Welcome to the pub, poets. My beautiful autumn days has turned stormy so you will find me by the fireplace, savoring warmth, poetry and maybe, for you, a hot brandy. I look forward to being with you today and tomorrow. Happy poeming.
It is so nice to see you here, Victoria! This is a wonderful prompt with so many possibilities; I look forward to reading some great poems!
Glad you enjoyed the prompt, as I did your poem, Jilly.
Hello Victoria, just want to say thank you, for your kind comment on my poem, November 20th. Sadly, I won’t be posting anything, as I had put out my own fires caused by PTSD and anxiety, as I was triggered. For the people of California, who are declared missing, I hope that all are found safe and healthy for their friends and family.
Thank you for stopping by, Therisa. I always enjoy “seeing” you and I send wishes, prayers that those difficult fires you face will be put out.
This is such a timely and lovely prompt Victoria. I may not be able to post one today but I will use it as a theme for OLN this Thursday. Thank you hosting !!!!
Thank you for asking me to host, Grace. I will keep an eye open on Thursday OLN.
Good evening Victoria and dVerse poets around the world! Thank you for the prompt and for hosting today, Victoria. I hope you haven’t been too affected by the fires. I’ll be back in the morning to catch up with reading and commenting as I’m a bit behind with my preparation for reading at the launch of the Emma Press anthology on Thursday.
Good luck with the reading, Kim. Wonderful opportunity. The fires haven’t had any direct effect on me, except for the horror of it all.
Thank you, Victoria.
Good evening everyone… a little late to the bar… just came home from being at the reading of a play… fantastic play, and fantastic actors doing the reading.
The play was “What we’re up against” by Theresa Rebeck … I really recommend the play.
Thought-provoking title for a play. Glad you got to be there.
Really great prompt victoria. This is an idea for a free verse piece I have kicked around, now I have a reason to flush it out to finish. Thank you! 🙂
Love it–as I did the poetic result .
a timely word Victoria. there has been some very disturbing incidents where I live and I am incorporating that in my poem today. Thank you for hosting and so really good to have you here and with this great prompt today.
Thank you, Gina. It is good to be able to write through disturbing events, I find.
it does, though I don’t usually do, but today I think I must and your prompt tied it all up so well. Happy hosting!!
Thanks, Gina.
Hi all. Victoria as you said there are so many directions to go with fire. Looking forward to seeing what comes as i put my writing cap on.
I look forward to reading it!
Evening, Poets! Thanks, Victoria, for guest pubtending! Looking forward to seeing everyone on the poetry trail! 🙂
Glad to see you, Frank.
😀
Great topic for a chilly night, Victoria! Thanks for hosting.
And chilly it is! Stay warm V.J.
You too!
Enjoying your many creative responses to the prompt. Tomorrow I have a morning appointment but will check back in as soon as I can.
Hi Victoria. I allowed myself to be a bit ‘wild’ (for me) this time. Thank you for the fire inspiration.
Wild…fire. Perfect Janice.
Hello Victoria- Thanks for hosting, and what a great prompt. Putting the finishing touches on mine now. Posting in a few!
Off to read now, and looking forward to it.
Glad to see you here, Victoria. I’m late but will warm my hands by the embers of your fire. Hot brandy might be good for my cold! I’m linking to an older post of mine that seemed fitting to this season and to your prompt.
I’m glad you went with that poem, Lynn. Stunning.
Hi Victoria! I’m late to the prompt, as usual. 🙂 I’ll be back later to read others.
And I’ve come late to read–life does get in the way, sometimes.
Yes, it does. 🙂
Such an important prompt … And so relevant … I’ve added my contribution to the linky-thinky but I’m copying the link here, just because:
Na’ama
Thank you, Na’ama–you poem was wonderful.
Great that you a gathering a creative community in this way Victoria! Thanks for sharing! I am a Creative Life Coach with a passion for poetry and have a blog in case you also have time to look? Today’s post is about being present. Have a good Monday! Sam 🙂 https://peacockpoetryblog.wordpress.com/2019/01/21/getting-better-everyday/