CAMPFIRE, LIGNUM
The world shone in letters, Lucretius believed:
in firewood (lignis) was hidden (ignis) fire. Whatever
kindles your tinder. His mater flirted with matter
for that matter. Linguistics, logistics--two sticks
perhaps one shouldn't rub together--but if,
on a night like this, by firelight and stars, one hears
the pater in the local patter, whose pattern
would that be? Father time, mother tongue,
we will be true to you in our fashion:
...