This life that we call our own
Is neither strong nor free;
A flame in the wind of death,
It trembles ceaselessly.
And this all we can do
To use our little light
Before, in the piercing wind,
It flickers into night:
To yield the heat of the flame,
To grudge not, but to give
Whatever we have of strength,
That one more flame may live.
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Dorothea deploys a message that in the last paragraph it conveys “good morals” explaining, that if you do the right thing by your fellow human “that one more flame may live” -
Very simple poem that vividly serves as a stark reminder that life equates finite moments. Line 10, "to grudge not, but to give" woke me up. If I can remember that (in a healthy way) my time on earth must serve a reason, then I will be productive. I find that it is very easy to get bogged down with disappointments and hurts; as a result, I shut down and question why or how I have made a difference to anyone or in any way. This poem shifts perspective. It screams, "And this all we can do/To use our little light/Before, in the piercing wind,/It flickers into night" (stanza 2). I'm glad I found this poem.
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Shes so good! This is one of my favourite poems by her
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she is a wicked poet
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Did you read her poem, 'My Country'. It is very good
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Excellent symbolism in this. This is the first poem of Dorothea MacKeller's I have read and I enjoyed.
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