The Art of Candle Lighting
Draw out the match from the box
and strike its tip against the rough surface
red phosphorus combusts to white.
Lean the match downward to let the flame
grow, let it dine on the stick, fuel its hunger.
Dip it to the candle wick, like passing a torch
from one person to another,
hold the fire until the candle ignites.
Do not blow out the match, let it die slowly.
Watch it burn as it gets closer to your fingertips.
Smell the sulfur and thin smoke, observe the aftermath
the blackened wood curling and used up.
When the last of the flame sputters and dies,
look closely at the tip, still alive like a beating heart.
The ember glows through the burnt wood.
It beats as the stick crinkles like a column about to collapse.
And then in a blink of an eye, the ember breathes its last.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment