Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow:
SMOKE
Light – winged smoke! Icarian bird,
Melting thy pinions in thy upward flight:
Lark without song, and the messenger of dawn,
Circling above the hamlets as thy nest:
Or else, departing dream, and shadowy form
Of midnight, vision gathering up thy skirts:
By night star-veiling, and by day
Darkening the light and blotting out the sun:
Go thou, my incence, upward from this hearth,
And ask the gods to pardon this clear flame,
Henry David Thoreau

Why does the poet seek pardon from the gods?

The correct option is: The speaker admits sin of setting the fire

Step-by-Step Explanation:

1. Analyze the Poem's Context:
In the poem "Smoke" by Henry David Thoreau, the narrator addresses the smoke rising from their hearth, describing it as a "departing dream", "shadowy form", and "my incense". The smoke is treated as a messenger sent from the human dwelling to the heavens.

2. Examine the Final Lines:
The poet writes:
"Go thou, my incense, upward from this hearth,
And ask the gods to pardon this clear flame,"
Here, the smoke is instructed to plead with the gods for a "pardon" on behalf of the "clear flame."

3. Determine the Reason for the Pardon:
In classical mythology and ancient traditions, fire is a sacred element belonging to the gods (similar to the myth of Prometheus, who stole fire from the gods). By lighting a fire on a domestic hearth, the speaker has taken or used this divine resource. Thus, the act of making a fire is metaphorically treated as an intrusion or a "sin" against the gods, prompting the speaker to ask the smoke to carry an offering of incense and seek forgiveness/pardon from the gods for setting the fire.