Rebirth

 

Facing the wildfires of life,

Walking through the soot,

leaving black footprints on the ashen floor,

Darkness swelling inside

widening the gulf between

dreams and reality,

Weariness pouring out of eyes,

Carrying the look and feel

of a wounded animal,

Billowing black-blue waves of pain

dragging their sharp prongs

through the heart to dredge

sorrows perfumed with sweetness.

 

Blackened snowflakes

slicing

through the softest parts.

 

Don’t wither completely, I tell myself,

Fragment thyself, make chambers,

So that even if you die in one part,

you may start growing in some other,

where anger will soften into acceptance,

leaving you hopeful enough

to see the miracle of sunshine

on a freezing, stormy day.