Fires — Summary

Dave BontaRomantic

morning like a small fire

I ask myself to be kind for the truth is comical

and in you the spark that makes me go

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Morning arrives here as a small fire: not a blaze, just a modest glow that starts the day. That image sets a quiet, intimate tone. The speaker then admits to a private effort, asking themselves to be kind. The reason is oddly cheerful: "the truth is comical." It sounds as if the speaker has seen something about life, or about themselves, that is funny rather than painful, and kindness seems to be the sensible response to it.

The final lines turn to another person. In "you" there is a spark, and it "makes me go." The poem doesn't say where, which keeps the feeling open and simple. It suggests this person gives the speaker energy and a reason to move, just as a spark lights a fire. The mood is gentle, warm and a little playful. Everything is small, whether the fire, the spark or the self-reminder, yet each carries real warmth.

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