THE CANDLE

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Clouds began to gather,
Your overcast eyes
The black island,
In the midst of white water,
Did more than shudder,
It poured for hours,
Seemed to last forever,
Yet there I was,
By your side in your darkest hour.
Out at sea,
Riding those perilous waves,
Salty water whipping my face,
Couldn’t bear the streaks
And skid marks left by screeching tears
Racing down your worried face,
As though it were an autobahn,
The host of a high-speed chase.
Search and rescue,
A crew of one,
I came to your aid,
On that murky day.


Then came morning,
With it the light of day,
Away went the clouds,
And pouring rain,
Calmer waters,
You stepped out of yesterday,
Into a new today,
Leaving me behind in yesterday,
Indefinite leave all over again.


All too soon,
You came calling again,
Darkness threatened,
Your day hostage again.
Those gloomy days,
Grimmer than grim,
Uncertainty reigned.
Your pretty face,
A picture of chaos,
Ashen grey,
Creaking knees,
Buckling legs,
Threatening to give way,
Shoulders hunched
As though against the wind.


There I was,
Among the flames,
Picking up the pieces,
In glowing cinders,
With smoke thick in the air,
Bringing you that ray of hope.
I stood atop the mountain,
As though possessed,
A witchdoctor dangerously close to incensed
Calling out to the gods,
I called for rain,
Caring less of the bellowing thunder,
And lightening flashes,
Those two,
My choice of light and background sounds.
Though those weights,
Were yours alone,
Yet I felt the pain,
As though my very own.
Your sleepless nights were
Never lonely nights,
I was company in trying times.


Time did fly,
Away with time,
Bringing back with it better days,
You found your smile,
You could dream again,
Slowly your laughter began to resonate,
With it I became an echo in the wind,
Slowly fading into the distance again,
Nightmare,
Unfolding tragedy,
My indefinite leave all over again.


I woke this morn,
Tired of the wait,
Days on end,
Cumbered by these weights.
When lights go out,
I come to your fore,
Harnessed and ready,
I carried the yoke,
Never complaining no matter how heavy.
Through your darkness,
I burn away,
Aging slowly,
In your gale I sway,
Forever absent in your light of day.


This just might be my swan song today,
I inch closer to the grave everyday,
With nothing to show,
Many days, I your scarecrow.
Driving away thieving crows.
In uncertainty, I your beacon,
Lighting your path, you lost no sequins.
Stormy nights, I’ve slaved away,
Only to come second in the light of day.
So today, I turn over this new page,
Just so I can rattle your cage,
I want to be nowhere else but on your centre stage,
More than just a candle in your stone age.