If

If fire can swim and still burn.

If the flower can bloom without rain.

If the fish can swim without the seas

Then take me away from this dull world.

Author's Note

PLEASE POST YOUR OWN INTERPRETATION!








This small poem is very simple yet I think it is very beautiful as well. First, the poem shows three impossibilities, all of which are one single metaphor. If fire can burn even with water, If plants can grow without water, and if fish can swim outside water. All three impossibilities are to do with water, which is in itself another metaphor. The water three different things, problems, opportunities and our general effort. The first line shows how we have to make effort to resist the water, sometimes we succeed, sometimes we fail. The first line represents problems. As if the fire can swim and still burn, so that if we can handle all problems effortlessly. The second line is similar, Water now represents opportunity, if the flower can bloom without rain. If we can succeed without opportunity. The final two lines are the most important. If fish can swim without seas, if we can flow through life without effort, then take me away from this dull world. Hopefully, the final line needs no explaining once you understand the first three.

Reviews

[ettorney]

Hmmm. I see a desperate and lonely soul looking for meaning where none exists and looking for possibilities in a world of set values and rules. The references to water, the stuff of life; to fire, the stuff of civilization; to fish, mana for humankind can relate to the human experience as determined by our suroundings and the context in which we live.

Fire can swim and still burn. Ever see oil alight on the water? it is scary and impressive. Certain desert cactus can bloom without rain and certain species of fish can "swim" on land.

Meaning, all of the possibilities do exist. They just might not be in our personal experience, a part of our context.

Take me away from this dull world... Taking into account what I have said above, if the world is dull, get up off the couch.

Nice Write.

[Bubo]

Interesting perception of opposites of what each thing needs, and would it be a dull world to see fish flying, fire swimming, really interesting to think about.Creative write.

[lamia]

thank you for explaining that to us, those are beautiful metaphors and the poem is short yet so beautiful , so thank you for sharing

[...]

. it's indeed very beautiful ... these are powerful metaphors ... through the struggle ... somehow ... sometimes ... we learn to swim against tides ... and find our perch ... you excelled with brevity here ...

[Ry]

I interpret this like this:

Metaphors involving water often refer to treading water, which in life can translate to fighthing for something, strength, determination, and tons of other things.
Things in this world have a balance. I could expand until I reached the next galaxy, but really, that's all there is to it. Break the balance, and there isn't much point in the world, is there?

[Jersey]

"If" the one word so commanly used that it seems under used. I really did enjoy this poem, it's short but you can find alot of different meanings to it. I loved how you took things that are impossible to this world and gave them a meaning and purpose to the poem. The piece itself is amazing, and once the author's note is taken in and considered, the poem really comes to life. Its really intresting how much detail is hidden in so few words.

[loowzerX]

this is very clever. i like

[Coyote Poetry]

I understood your poem without the Author's note. You create strong point and impossibilities in this short poem. It is amazing our leaders who want to drill the seas don't understand. Water is the life blood of our bodies. A outstanding poem.
Coyote

[Angie Diane♥&hea..]

I think this was a very great poem. I take it as if you are trying to strive to keep something you love alive. That is my opinion. I mean a flower blooms over and over again and flowers are very pretty to look at. I know there has been so many problems in this world that we can't change, but I hope it will change for the better. Thanks for sharing. :)