Master Apprentice Archive Phoenix in Smoke Quick search:

Pairing: Q/O

Rating: G

Category: Poetry, drama

Archive: M_A yes, all others please ask.

Disclaimer: George may provide the inspiration, but these words are all mine. No harm, no foul.

Summary: New Hope, from a spirit's pov.

Notes: This poem is closely related to my story in the Theme and Timbre series 'Sfumato', but hopefully is a complete entity all by itself. Thanks go to Raven for having the splendid T&T idea, and to FH for helping iron out the through-line. Thanks also go to Lori, Spoke, and several others for liking it even in the rough form.

Phoenix in Smoke

Heat-haze on the desert
The scent of smoke on the wind
Sunset stains the consuming pyre.

Spirit tempered on the forge of light
Substance spent in the crucible of need
Both fuel on the fire, ash on the wind.

Mist, vapor, memory, will
Set against the devouring darkness
Shielding the sparks against the dawn.

Change is come: Smoke knows the wind
Hope is borne by the breeze
Born in the fires of love.

Safe the sparks, secret coals,
Yet the wind will reach out
The light will burst forth.

This the grey, dim hour before dawn:
Far over the brightening hills,
There is a plume of smoke.