Blind, we follow her slant flaming sparks, spray
metal to the hammer, pound out sculptured
what, we do not know. A girl that can weigh
potency, that fell in love with the word
anvil. One who speaks to the heart of coals.
Make my hands large and sinewy, a prayer.
Let me dream in blade and sculpture. The soul’s
work is rare. How many can find rapture
over mallet sizes? Turn steel to doubt,
fizzle it, turn it soft again? Her swing
of sledge. Her smithy grindstone. The crack-smack
of each blow, blurring, sending us far out
as she beats and beats and beats, then, sweating,
the catch fire girl at the forge tows us back.