like the cheerful promising candle
left too long to burn
it had no place to go but
to the center
to consume the wick
and in the darkness
ghosts arrived
that have yet to be caught
still they infect the marrow
and the mind
of those innocents
who did not recognize
their vague presence
but live always in their shadows
they struggle now
to send back the ghosts
into the netherworld
to free the future
for innocence restored
to light a bright new candle
and tend it prayerfully
pb 2012
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