Walking Raven

The First Quotation

I am fairly certain that at some point Milton led me to Isaiah 6:6-7 which provides, as follows:

Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar; And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

Whenever I need/want clearly and concisely to express myself, either verbally or in writing, I offer up the silent entreaty, “coal to lips.” Accordingly, the first two pages of my manuscript consist of the title page followed by a page containing the above passage.