the year tilted
too quickly
into the dark
in sight
is the shadow
where shadows
are unknown
we are
aching
down a valley
of suffering
taunted by
pangs of pain
& fear of
vanishing
some times we
want to fall
to the ground &
stop utterly––
like a stone
we limp on
alone & brooding
through a thickening
dusk
we see/
we are blessed with/
we stumble upon
a light
a flickering
knowledge/
possibility/
hope
that we can
hold our soul
in our body
by our will,
our guts
& prayers
for a time
we do not
understand/
believe/
accept
a why
for this misery &
humiliation
the who we
were
is not the who
we are
we sleep
we wake
we pine
there are no
pleasures
here––
there’s no pride
left––
we are not brave
we see the
flame––
maybe we are the
flame––
we open our
eyes & keep
breathing