Candle at Midnight
I light a candle at midnight.
Why?
Now, you can see
a radiant glow –
the smallest of blazes –
deep within
suffocating darkness.
Beyond the
shadows, beyond death,
what remains are
gifts of life:
extinguish the flame,
the scent lingers…
it becomes part of you
with one single breath.
Breathe.
Carry it with you,
your candle at midnight.
Carry it with you.
Breathe.
With one single breath,
it becomes part of you;
the scent lingers.
Extinguish the flame –
gifts of life –
what remains are
shadows. Beyond death,
beyond the
suffocating darkness,
deep within
the smallest of blazes…
a radiant glow.
Now you can see
why
I light a candle at midnight.
– © 2014, Matt Forrest Esenwine
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Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme 
A reverso! Wow! I read it twice and I feel like I need to read it a few more times. Way to challenge yourself, Matt!
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Just wanted to clarify that I didn’t need to read it more to understand it, just to savor the clever, philosophical underpinnings!
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Thank you, Tabatha! It’s ok, I know what you mean. I had to keep re-reading it myself as I wrote it – not only to make sure I was saying what I wanted to say, but that I was saying it correctly!
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Love the reflection of your poem on itself–fits like a lighted candle! Thanks for sharing this, Matt, and warm holidays to you.
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Thanks, Buffy! Have a great holiday season, as well.
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Pingback: Lighting the Darkness—Poetry Friday is Here! | Buffy's Blog
Good job with a challenging form! Love the “candle at midnight” midway through the poem — kind of like both hands on the clock straight up :).
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Thanks for noticing, Jama! Glad you liked it.
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When I need a mantra (which is probably always), I’ll have this:
Breathe.
Carry it with you,
your candle at midnight.
Carry it with you.
Breathe.
Nice one, Matt. Jolly hols to you and yours!
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I’m glad you liked it so much, Heidi – enjoy your holiday season, as well!
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Very nicely done! They are a tricky format.
BTW: Thanks for the poem and ornament! Both beautiful! Do you mind if I share it on my site with your credit? I have a few pictures of birches that have been bent low having been “kissed by snow”!
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Oh, I’m glad you got them ok – I was hoping the ornament would be in one piece! (They’re hard to put together, but they can break quite easily) Sure, feel free to share it, and please let me know when it’s up, so I can share your post!
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Lovely.
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Thank you, Mary Lee!
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