The
burning sparks come from the huge fire that the blacksmith uses in his forge. He creates
objects, such as horseshoes, by forging metal in the flames of the fire, much to the delight of
the many children who come to watch him as he works.
As he goes about his
daily toil, burning sparks fly "Like chaff from a threshing-floor". This can happen at
any time, but especially when the metal in the fire becomes white hot. Under such circumstances
blacksmiths have to be very careful about their safety; flying sparks can be incredibly
dangerous and cause all kinds of injuries. But Longfellow's village blacksmith is such an expert
at his job that this isn't likely to be much of a problem for him.
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