Fire Stones

[poliphilo]

Another archaeology poem.

The stones were- I think- quartzite and someone had brought them into class to demonstrate how people in the Stone Age might have started a fire. 

                                    FIRE STONES

 

                                    You wrap the quartzy stones in wool,

                                    Knock 'em together; they'll give you fire.

 

                                    The classroom is all hush and dark.

                                    I knock and raise the ghost-green light

 

                                    That's gone as quick as the meteorite

                                    I saw scrawl over Pegasus.

 

                                    Did I see it or did I think it?

                                    I sniff the stones.  They smell of burn.

Comments

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

It is like you to "sniff the stones"--it's one of the qualities I find so wonderful--(what's a better word?) about you.

Last night, while it rained hard and the wind blew, I had my window open a little to be a part of it, and I found myself pretending I was a Neanderthal in a cave with others with the wind howling outside. I thought I surely would have felt safe, because we would have placed a rock in front of the door to keep out--sabertooths, and there would be a fire going...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

The fire alone would be enough to keep the sabre-tooths away, I think.

Would sabre-tooths have attacked a prehistoric human settlement? I doubt it. I should imagine they would have known to keep well away from our ancestors with their knives and spears.