Peter Grandbois

Stealing Fire

Madness as gift and punishment, as part and parcel of what it means to be human. The fire stolen from the gods and the punishment for that theft. Prometheus the symbol. William Blake the torchbearer. Blake who courted madness. Blake who was never committed to an asylum but whose career was built on the myth that all creativity is irrational, all artists touched by flame.

The wooden spoon broke
when Father tried to spank me,
voice wrapped tight in blame.