Jessica L. Morris

There have always been 
the ones who know – 
they try to share 
what they know 
in the darkness… 

a match struck 
a candle lit 
a pool of wax 
threatening 
to extinguish the flame   

too often 
the story the same 
too often 
deceit offers shame 
too often 
hope accepts the blame  
and 
     the 
          darkness 
               descends 
                    again…  

Faultless is hope –  
for the ones 
who don’t know her 
don’t know how to hold her 
how to accept the burning within 
so, 
they drop her before she can speak 
and 
they kick her out into the street.  

Humbly, 
the ones who know 
are accustomed to her pain 
so,
they lift her from the earth
nurture her flame 
and 
they remain 
the 
     ones 
          who 
               know…