What is the meaning of Audre Lorde's, A lover's song"?

Question

Give me fire and I will sing you morning
Finding you heart
And a birth of fruit
For you, a flame that will stay beauty
Song will take us by the hand
And lead us back to light.

Give me fire and I will sing you evening
Asking you water
And quick breath
No farewell winds like a willow switch
Against my body
But a voice to speak
In a dark room.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Think of fire as desire, response, urgency, heated

He wants reciprocity in his relationship. He need s response to his love. With it, he has direction (experience) as to where to take them (the two lovers). He is thirsty and she is the water to sooth, quince that thirst. He wants a gasp of surprise as a response to his touch (ok, he thinks he can make her feel what he does...may be stretching but you get the point). He wants a dark room, privacy, and will be attentive to what she says (although whispered).

For this he offers her morning (newness, awakening) fruit (metaphorical copulation- the sex act...he is the seed, she is the fruit), beauty (radiance, glowing, happiness) a song (rejoicing) and light (knowledge).

He is very direct and intimate. He just wants to know that it is ok to proceed. He promises to take it from there.

Read it again. It is there.

Good Luck

Answer 2

Audre is trading the temporal for the mundane. That is to say another way Give me spiritual things and I will make them worldly..my words not audre's ;)