Candles

If sunrise reminds us

that the world

was born in fire,

does sunset warn us

that when the sun

goes super nova,

so shall it end

as stone and embers?

Every night we light

candles before we pray

in gratitude and ask

for grace and deliverance,

blessings for our loved ones

and the world beyond our door.

Candles on the altars,

in the temples

and the churches,

in the dining rooms

of kings, and the

modesty of hovels.

For saints and the departed,

black ones for the devil.

We carry them in processions,

float them down rivers,

burn them at both ends.

When i lived on treasure island,

the electricity often failed

so we kept a lot of candles handy,

but fumed about the absence

of television and the internet.

Reading by candle light is tiring,

how did our ancesters cope?

When the power was restored,

we said hallelujah,

now we can return to reruns

of Law and Order

and the latest posts

on Facebook,

snuff those wicks

until the next time

or birthday cakes.