by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886)

Fire
Language: English 
Ashes denote that fire was;
Respect the grayest pile
For the departed creature's sake
That hovered there awhile.

Fire exists the first in light,
And then consolidates,—
Only the chemist can disclose
Into what carbonates.

Confirmed with Emily Dickinson, Poems: Third Series, edited by Mabel Loomis Todd, Boston : Roberts Brothers, 1896, p.44


Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):


Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2026-10-10
Line count: 8
Word count: 35