Darkness spread
with a single breath –
no wicker, no flame be lit

and it was said: be
and light became
with little hands, tendrils, stretching out
to mould a pot from clay.

And so the fire began to burn
and spread
without known bounds:
colours of orange
and flaming red,
with joyous children
flying high and free

leaving only a trail
of cinders…
and blackened ash
to mark
the yellow face.