Poem — Mirrors, light, and a small fire

I struck the spark once small on it fire

I struck the spark once small on it fire

in the palace of the dark. The flame was

in the palace of the dark. The flame was

almost rude against the temple's endless

almost rude against the temple's endless

glow. Not beautiful,

glow. Not beautiful,

not polished, just burning just

not polished, just burning just

so.

so.

And the mirror trembled

And the mirror trembled

at something you

at something you

could not reflect. A presence without

could not reflect. A presence without

performance, a face without a

performance, a face without a

verdict.

verdict.

The crack came like ice breaking on a

The crack came like ice breaking on a

still make a dawn. Not a

still make a dawn. Not a

shattering awakening. Something frozen

shattering awakening. Something frozen

moving on.

moving on.

A thousand suns dimmed. Shadows fell

A thousand suns dimmed. Shadows fell

across the stone. And the people of

across the stone. And the people of

the city saw the

the city saw the

edges of their own. They panicked. Oh,

edges of their own. They panicked. Oh,

they panicked that the dark

they panicked that the dark

line their lives until the dark became

line their lives until the dark became

the answer to a question they

the answer to a question they

denied. You only cast a shadow if

denied. You only cast a shadow if

something real stands in the light. You

something real stands in the light. You

only have a darkness if you actually

only have a darkness if you actually

exist tonight.

exist tonight.

The traveler walked on lantern warm and

The traveler walked on lantern warm and

small. Not asking for permission. Not

small. Not asking for permission. Not

answering the call of every gleaming

answering the call of every gleaming

surface that promised them a

surface that promised them a

name. You don't need the mirror's

name. You don't need the mirror's

verdict. You only need the flame. Carry

verdict. You only need the flame. Carry

a small fire long enough to see. Not the

a small fire long enough to see. Not the

face you wanted, but the one

face you wanted, but the one

that's free. Carry a small fire through

that's free. Carry a small fire through

the cities of the bright. Let the

the cities of the bright. Let the

mirrors crack behind you. You were never

mirrors crack behind you. You were never

just their

just their