Captured in the Essence of Fire

by Kara Swenson (Jezebel)
kara.swenson@resnet.ucsb.edu

The inticing glow of the fire
Set against the darkness of the midnight sky,
Eclipsing the light of the stars,
Red, yellow, and orange flames
Leaping and dancing from it's heart.
Pregnant in it's fullness, the moon hangs above.
Below, the terrain is dotted with forrests,
Open meadows, villages, and the fire that remains

perpetual;
The eyes of sapphire are enraptured by the flame,
The flickering, glimmering memories parading before

her,
Captured in the essence of fire.
While death and destruction play out in her mind's

eye,
And she recalls the evil that was her being,
Captured in the essence of fire.
A soothing hand rests on her shoulder.
The dam breaks, a single tear falls,
While others threaten to escape, and the disgust she

feels
Is directed at herself,
Captured in the essence of fire.
In low tones, to waiting ears, she expresses her fear
That the monster within her will emerge once more
If the door is opened to the burn of loss.
The strength of reassurance, a promise solemnly made,
And she is once again able to see the inner core of

her heart,
Captured in the essence of fire.
Burning ar her sould are these memories,
Though they are of a wall long ago torn from it's root

in her heart.
The flame still dances, but in front of two
For she no longer stands alone.
Two whose hearts are intertwined by friendship.
Trust, a bond so precious, yet not always understood,
Captured in the essence of fire.
Gabrielle, pure, innocent, the Storyteller, and
Our Warrior Princess, scarred by past indiscretions,

while cleansed
In a crusade for good,
Valiant in her complexity is Xena,
(And of course, the actress who plays her! Kudos to

Lucy Lawless!)
Captured in the essence of fire.

Kara Swenson (Jezebel)

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