darkness does not hide

stare into a flame -

a match, a candle

a campfire -

admire

the light,

the shifting shades

of white

yellow

red

orange

the promise of

heat that

warms

or burns;

stare into the flame,

see

that at its center

lives the darkness:

it does not hide -

rather,

light is born

from darkness,

burns bright

then flickers

and fizzles

yielding

once again

to

oblivion.