The Great Fires - A poem by Jack Gilbert

Jack Gilbert - The Great Fires

Love is apart from all things. 
Desire and excitement are nothing beside it. 
It is not the body that finds love. 
What leads us there is the body. 
What is not love provokes it. 
What is not love quenches it. 
Love lays hold of everything we know. 
The passions which are called love
also change everything to a newness 
at first. Passion is clearly the path 
but does not bring us to love. 
It opens the castle of our spirit 
so that we might find the love which is 
a mystery hidden there. 
Love is one of many great fires. 
Passion is a fire made of many woods, 
each of which gives off its special odor 
so we can know the many kinds 
that are not love. Passion is the paper 
and twigs that kindle the flames 
but cannot sustain them. Desire perishes 
because it tries to be love. 
Love is eaten away by appetite. 
Love does not last, but it is different 
from the passions that do not last. 
Love lasts by not lasting.
Isaiah said each man walks in his own fire
for his sins. Love allows us to walk 
in the sweet music of our particular heart.

Added: on December 1st, 2008 at 5:35 AM | Viewed: 28422 times | Comments and analysis of The Great Fires by Jack Gilbert Comments (9)

The Great Fires - Comments and Information
Poet: Jack Gilbert (Jack Gilbert Art) Poem: The Great Fires Volume: The Great Fires Year: Published/Written in 1994 Poem of the Day: Apr 28 2009 Comment 9 of 9, added on March 16th, 2009 at 4:53 PM. Yes, the poem is great. I like it such much that I would like to translate it into polish. But I don't quite sure if I understant everything corret. Please, help me with interpretation. Armanda from Poland Comment 8 of 9, added on January 7th, 2009 at 11:25 PM. This poem puts the feelings of love into words. I think its a great poem. The part about Isaiah is the part that makes me smile. "Isaiah said each man walks in his own fire for his sins. well a man/women in love is on fire and we do sometimes sin in the blindness of love. Anyway thats my take on the part about what Isaiah said. Diana Holmes from United States Comment 7 of 9, added on December 1st, 2008 at 5:35 AM. I do really like this poem because it helps me to understand my own feelings... any time I think like I need a piece of advice I just read it... Alona from Ukraine More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, The Great Fires, has received 9 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Jack Gilbert with others on the American Poems poetry forum!

Poem Info
Poet: Jack Gilbert Poem: The Great Fires Volume: The Great Fires Year: Published/Written in 1994 Last read: Nov 20 2009, 8:41PM Poem of the Day: Apr 28 2009 Viewed 28422 times. Added on December 1st, 2008 at 5:35 AM.

Gilbert Info
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