Chapter 23 the caldera's eye
Spraying of sparks from the caldera's eye,
Enjoined me to trace glowing veins in the sky.
No mast to my craft, neither rudder nor sail,
Swayed navigation for lack of a gale-
Evenly balanced; to live or to fail.
In the heat of the mountainous tantrum I saw,
No more of the monster; we'd settled a score.
Dying by coal? Was it better by blood?
Emblems of gore- or a smouldering flood?
Supposing my end (I'd lost count of the times)
Proposing to seek less adventurous climes...
Embracing eternity, courtesy's flame
Rekindled my wish for a life to reclaim.
A boiling of brine and a hiss of the steam,
Tripped a desire for a wizardly scheme
Iris of fire, under magic controlled!
Oh! let my fortune lend strength to the bold!
Nearing the smoke of a burning decree
' ere death could enfold me I leapt for the sea...
Snickering flame rose to gibber at me.
Away from inferno, away from debris,
Dark sulphurous fumes gave me licence to flee,
Voices of reason, my panic's command,
Incited my trial by horror's demand...
Cranked by the hand of my wish to survive,
Embargoing death, I went down in a dive.
Enjoined me to trace glowing veins in the sky.
No mast to my craft, neither rudder nor sail,
Swayed navigation for lack of a gale-
Evenly balanced; to live or to fail.
In the heat of the mountainous tantrum I saw,
No more of the monster; we'd settled a score.
Dying by coal? Was it better by blood?
Emblems of gore- or a smouldering flood?
Supposing my end (I'd lost count of the times)
Proposing to seek less adventurous climes...
Embracing eternity, courtesy's flame
Rekindled my wish for a life to reclaim.
A boiling of brine and a hiss of the steam,
Tripped a desire for a wizardly scheme
Iris of fire, under magic controlled!
Oh! let my fortune lend strength to the bold!
Nearing the smoke of a burning decree
' ere death could enfold me I leapt for the sea...
Snickering flame rose to gibber at me.
Away from inferno, away from debris,
Dark sulphurous fumes gave me licence to flee,
Voices of reason, my panic's command,
Incited my trial by horror's demand...
Cranked by the hand of my wish to survive,
Embargoing death, I went down in a dive.