Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Flaming Heart" is a religious poem by Richard Crashaw, an English poet who lived in the 17th century. The poem is an expression of the poet's intense devotion to God, and his desire to be consumed by the divine flame of love.

The poem is structured as a dialogue between the poet and the flame of divine love, which he sees burning in the heart of Christ. The flame represents the transformative power of God's love, which has the ability to purify and sanctify the human soul. The rhyme scheme of "The Flaming Heart" is ABABCCDDEEFFGGHHII.

Crashaw's language is highly charged and emotive, filled with vivid imagery and richly allusive references to the Bible and Christian theology. The poem's opening lines, for example, describe the flame as a "live coal" that has been taken from the altar of God, a reference to the biblical book of Isaiah.

The flame is personified throughout the poem as a living presence, which speaks to the poet and seeks to draw him closer to God. The poet responds with a series of passionate pleas, expressing his desire to be consumed by the flame and become one with God.

One of the most striking features of the poem is its use of paradox and hyperbole to express the intensity of the poet's religious fervor. Crashaw's language is highly charged and ecstatic, and he employs a variety of rhetorical devices, such as oxymorons and antithesis, to create a sense of spiritual intensity.

In conclusion, "The Flaming Heart" is a powerful expression of religious devotion, which testifies to the transformative power of God's love. Through its richly allusive language, vivid imagery, and emotive intensity, the poem invites the reader to enter into a state of mystical union with God, and to experience the divine flame of love that burns in the heart of Christ

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