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

[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.