The Pyre

 

Cumulative effects of repetitive disaster

Denial, distrust, and disbelief

Boil to a point where all we’re after

Is the numbing silence of quiet relief

 

The hurricane ends and the rain subsides

Count the blessings and strive for gain

Forgive our fears and learn new strides

Mourn our losses and push past the pain

 

But my light is slowly dwindling

Devoured by devil's darkness beast

The wind of sadness sparks the kindling

Fuels the pyre of dreams deceased

 

Words and wishes set in cement

See how fast they’ve set and dried

Markers of all the time we’ve spent

Just to convince ourselves we tried

 

March wooden puppets with cut strings

Into the flames beyond the gate

The dourest dirges death’s angel sings

Lead the lost through a fruitless wait

 

But no ones light can last forever

From glowing ember to cold black coal

Eternity is just a door to never

A pyre that consumes a ravaged soul

 

 

                       s. paul (sept 2020)