"One Night"

by Margene j. Guerrero

A slam of the door and the room falls dark,
a strike of the matchhead and an
unsteady smear of orange red blooms.
We tremble, fumble, and a flicker
of the watchful candle warns us to move
with care beside its flames.
With an impatient flick of your
fingertip, the lock is shot
home, a click, and the half-smile on your lips is
a push, a pull, a playful silent
suggestion that perhaps
that candle should be
out.

c. 1997