Fire in the Earth

by David Whyte

very minor shelf wear only

Genres: Poetry, Fiction, Spirituality

88 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Poet David Whyte grew up with a strong, imaginative influence from his Irish mother among the hills and valleys of his father’s Yorkshire. He now makes his home in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.

The author of seven books of poetry and three books of prose, David Whyte holds a degree in Marine Zoology and has traveled extensively, including living and working as a naturalist guide in the Galapagos Islands and leading anthropological and natural history expeditions in the Andes, Amazon and Himalaya. He brings this wealth of experience to his poetry, lectures and workshops.

His life as a poet has created a readership and listenership in three normally mutually exclusive areas: the literate world of readings that most poets inhabit, the psychological and theological worlds of philosophical enquiry and the world of vocation, work and organizational leadership.

An Associate Fellow at Said Business School at the University of Oxford, he is one of the few poets to take his perspectives on creativity into the field of organizational development, where he works with many European, American and international companies. In spring of 2008 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Neumann College, Pennsylvania.

In organizational settings, using poetry and thoughtful commentary, he illustrates how we can foster qualities of courage and engagement; qualities needed if we are to respond to today’s call for increased creativity and adaptability in the workplace. He brings a unique and important contribution to our understanding of the nature of individual and organizational change, particularly through his unique perspectives on Conversational Leadership.

Reviews

[Gia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd give it five stars for one poem alone, "Self Portrait." No matter how old I get, that one makes my heart beat faster every time.

[James Bass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even while this is probably my least favorite of his books of poetry, it still was breathtaking in parts and gives hints towards the insightful poet he becomes later in life. A worthwhile read.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The poetry of David Whyte is one of the most powerful I have ever read. It speaks directly to the soul, that hidden flame, that too often unheard voice... His words speak of something old, deep, something true and terrible in its beauty and fury. It's Nature in its raw and overwhelming presence.

There's not enough praise in me to convey how powerful and beautiful and beyond moving these poems are. A lot of adjectives; that's all I have. Adjectives and words: fire, belonging, body, earth, mountain, circle, voice, cry, word, soul, revelation, song...

What will you do
and what will you say
in the times
when you are left alone
to meet, like this,
the quiet fury of the world?

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every piece in this collection touches my soul. Really incredible work.

[David Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great poems, all with a "Fire" theme. I like "May Rivers" better, but this is very good poetry.

[Luke Hillier · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Self-Portrait" is a true god-tier poem (even the gods speak of it, you could say) so this could never be less than four stars. While that poem is by far the stand-out for me ––pretty inevitable given that it's one of my all-time favorites–– there was still a lot to like. Linked sort of abstractly by the image or metaphor of fire, the poems here work sort of like flames to create dynamic shapes and cast shadows that you can see different things in the longer you look. It's an incredibly evocative, soulful collection that brings Rainer Maria Rilke to mind, and even includes a translation by Whyte of one of his poems. There were some that I felt some distance from, usually because they felt more specific in what they were referencing or relating to. But even in those, there are some exquisitely written lines or shocks of reflective insight waiting to rise up and greet you.

Beyond "Self-Portrait," my other two favorites were "In the Beginning" and "Here in the Mountain," and I loved "Millennium," "The Sound of the Wild," and "The Husk of Your Voice" a lot too. Whyte uses the directness of second-person with startlingly impact that conveys a raw kind of intimacy that, coupled with the wisdom of his language, feels so demanding and deserving of your trust. Some of these could serve as a guide into contemplation of the mythic, the divine, or the innermost self (or all of the above).

[Donald Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of rambling....

This did not move me, nor strike a chord with my experience in life. For me, poetry is more of revelation of the inner spirit or the unusual observance of life. With the exception of the poem, "The Painter's Hand", this selection did not resonate. Maybe my expectation based on a recommendation was set too high.
This one gets three stars.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are nicely crafted poems. They kind of leave me cold though. Perhaps they are a tad overrefined, but they don’t seem to have much life in them for me. Maybe it’s just me.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

You were there in the beginning / you heard the story, you heard the merciless / and tender words telling you where you had to go.

[Paige Kieding · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never know how to rate or review poetry collections because poetry is soooo subjective. I bought this book after listening to an interview with this author on a podcast and falling in love with his words. And I will say - while it's clear that he's immensely talented, the majority of these poems didn't do it for me. But the ones that did really struck something deep within me.

"The ocean of longing,
the sea of your deeper want,
the gravity well of your own desire,

the place you would fall becomes
in falling
the place you are held."


"What is inside
wants to know itself fully
before it is born."


"What will you do
and what will you say
in the times
when you are left alone
to meet, like this,
the quiet fury of the world?"


"...find the body
forgetting
its own fear the instant
it opened and placed
those unassuming hands
on life's enduring pain,

and the world for one
moment
closed its terrifying eyes
in gratitude."


"But then we always knew
heaven would be a desperate place.
Everything you desired coming
in one fearful moment
to great you."

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite poem from this is book is certainly The Eldership of Praise . It'd recommend this book for this poem alone.

[Karyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book turned me on to poetry. A fantastic collection.

[Micah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful. Full of nature imagery.