Behind a candle

All that stands
between the light
and the darkness
is the littlest flame

A spark of light
that could fill a child's eyes with wonder
a lowly flame..
that could rip the shores of reason
with an even tide

Yet...it roars
a fearsome call
threatening to burn itself away
the sacred thing it is
one that knows how to ignite itself
yet could impart it's own beauty
through destruction

"Suspend all belief"

to expend a waking moment
deliberating fate
only to extinguish it as quick as a thought
or a whim
to banish as though it needs no life
no reason

Peering through the flame
an image appears
as though in a vision

the tempest wrought it's last
deep unfurling
as a messenger of some form
some...belief
cascades towards the flame
to tell me a jagged secret

"Suspend all belief"
 

the messenger takes
all comfort
from the safety of the flame
and it's light
urging me to see

behind the candle
a part that once was,
was never,
will be,
will never be,
always.

The messenger imparts
a gift of clarity
the joys of knowing
the dread of knowing
knowing.

"Suspend all belief"
 

connected through the light
the world above
and the world beyond
the world below
and the world
you can see
taste, touch, feel
but has no substance

the past
the present
the future
long ago
that never was
always was
never is
always is
 

"Suspend all belief"

Was what my grandmother said
when she cascaded through
from behind the candle

my gift to you, granddaughter
the gift of knowing all
and knowing nothing
will impart to you
the strength and wisdom
 

for nothing is as it seems
and everything that matters in this void
is but a tiny voice

"Suspend all belief"
 
 

Trinity
June 22, 2000