Quote Dickens? -- a Write for the Sunday Muse

"The first known accounts of spontaneous human combustion (SHC) date all the way back to 1641, the phenomenon gained wider exposure in the 19th century after popular author Charles Dickens used it to kill off one of the characters in his novel “Bleak House.” When critics accused Dickens of legitimizing something that didn’t exist, he pointed to research showing 30 historical cases."  (more) 

Does it Really Not Exist?  

Accounts in his newspaper 

were saying 

Folks burning right and left 

there on the plain 

Cities too, large and small, 

counting them up 

Three hundred seventy 

Those were the death tallies 

 many more had burns 

 Spontaneous Human Combustion 

 was blamed 

 Burns starting on the back 

 scorching behind 

 Not possible he thought 

 loosened his tie 

 Feeling hot behind twas 

 such a cold day 

 Scratched his itching back 

 nails came back scorched 

 Looked behind, jumped away 

 hell was burning 

 

He'd started the fire 

 now he believed 

_ _ _ 

 - Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2023, All Rights Reserved 

 - I am linked with Carrie for the picture prompt, The Sunday Muse #249 

    https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2023/03/sunday-muse-249.html 

 - I have read the Dicken's book, "Bleak House", it is very long.  That is where I learned of Spontaneous Human Combustion. 

    ..

"To Burn" - a Poem for The Friday Writings

Note!!! - I for sure read the posts of all.  I will also leave a comment except when you do not allow Anonymous comments.  

Google has relegated me as to being an Anonymous reader.

 

Time to Burn 

Tis time to think about what if

If I had time to think about

More than I ever do take time 

Enjoy the fire I've never lit 

Time to watch it burn that I'd love 

Or lite the fire if I'm approved

Burn baby burn masses war call 

Under wraps angry open fields 

Raging angry fire watch it burn

Nickle if I had one for your thoughts 

 _ _ _ 

Note:  When I wrote this little poem I had no particular fire in mind and I wanted it to stand alone with or without pictures.  

After writing it I thought of my available resources for a burning photo.  Coming to mind were several instances, even candles, but I chose a burning in effigy of Guy Fawkes celebration we attended, which is repeated in London, and over the U.K, every year on November 5.

 

 _ _ _ 

 - Photo and Poem Copyright 2013 and 2022, Jimmiehov 2022, All Rights Reserved 

 - Photos are from my November 2013 post remembering my Guy Fawkes burning in effigy anniversary ceremony the year before in London, 

  https://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/2013/11/six-word-saturday.html?m=0

 - I am linked with Rommy at the Friday Writings #38,

https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/search/label/Friday%20Writings?m=1 

 - Rommy has invited us, "to let your muses spend some quality time with the phrase “to burn”." 

.. 

I Have This fear -- a poem, out of standard

I Have This Fear

I have this fear, haunts me

like a recurring dream

Though no demons visit

still it comes from within.

Fear doesn't go away

It stays and warms, I glow

Started, then I ignite

Spontaneous, combust

I fear spontaneous

combustion, evil death

'Twill be the end of me

I'm ashes in my mind

_ _ _ _

Photo and poem copyright , 2016 Jimmiehov, All rights reserved

I'm linked with Izadore Guyre in the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, Out of Standard - Fire from a Different Sun.
http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2016/09/out-of-standard-fire-from-different-sun.html

Notes: 
  - The photo was taken by my son, Tim, who, as a Boatman, had just untied this ship from the dock five minutes before.  The ship, leaving the Houston Ship Channel with its cargo, struck an obstruction in the water, leaking gallons and gallons of flammable liquid.  Some how the liquid floating on top of the water caught fire.  Causes and damages are still under investigation.  No life was lost.
 - Spontaneous Combustion is the burning of a human for no apparent reason.  This was common in 18th and 19th Century literature (a list of some).   I have read Dickens' Bleak House and also some references from Twain.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_human_combustion (more information than you probably want to know there).

One Single Impression: Rekindle

.
Rekindle

She sits huddled in the cold
It's getting darker outside
Can she rekindle the flame
Her lover is lost, long gone

He had been the world for her
A tender hand on her waist
Melding lovers' salty lips
Spontaneous combustion

A passion fueled by their love
Embers hot and bright, crimson
But the flame died when he strayed
No longer warmed, chills abound

His return she prays to God
With pockets full of matches
Lord knows he'll never return
She sits there still in the cold

By the fire that's in her mind

- - -

Photo and Poem Copyright
© 2013 Jimmiehov
All Rights Reserved

Find more poems using the prompt word, rekindle, at One Single Impression.
Also shared and listed with Real Toads, Open Link Monday

One Single Impression: Smoke

Remember When

where there's fire there's smoke
us kids on the loose in town
thousand eyes watching
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Don't Remember When

smokey bar in town
whiskey sours -- rye on the rocks
he don't like the smoke

whiff and sniff the air
much cleaner breath found next door
no one here he finds

lonesome -- on the town
back he goes cigar in mouth
smoke rings now he blows
sips fine bourbon laced with gin
sicker than a louse he got

puked his guts all night
he'll blame it on the cigar
'twas smoke done him in

Copyright © 2009 Jimmiehov. All Rights Reserved

Tag: One Single Impression Smoke is this week's prompt
Brought by Deborah Godin of the The Cloud Messinger blogTag: Jim's OSI
Also on May 5, 2015, I linked this post with Kerry O'Connor
at the Real Toads, The Tuesday Platform

Painting is easy when you don’t know how, but very difficult when you do. Edgar Dégas
The same may go for poetry? (whatever, I enjoy painting with the words!)