Venice masks

Sunday 2 June 2019

The Celestial Fire -Yannai

Now an angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a blazing fire —

a fire that devours fire;
a fire that burns in things dry and moist;
a fire that glows amid snow and ice;
a fire that is like a crouching lion;
a fire that reveals itself in many forms;
a fire that is, and never expires;
a fire that shines and roars;
a fire that blazes and sparkles;
a fire that flies in a storm wind;
a fire that burns without wood;
a fire that renews itself every day;
a fire that is not fanned by fire;
a fire that billows like palm branches;
a fire whose sparks are flashes of lightning;
a fire black as a raven;
a fire, curled, like the colours of the rainbow!

Yannai (6th century) Palestine
Translated by T. Carmi
Source: Poetry Chaikhana

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