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At the risk of oversharing, I'll say this was written for my little girl. I love you, Ressa.

I needed some light, so I lit you
I lit you not realizing how soon you'd burn out
And for that moment --
   that brief moment that seemed like years
   (but could not have been years) --
for that one blessed moment that you managed to stay lit
you burned bright

So bright that you seared your image into my retinas
and the warmth of your core soaked into my chest

And I saw the beauty of the colors and the shapes of things
I saw my way
And I soaked it all in
And I sang like a goat --
low and guttural and full of carefree joy

But, lost in joy, I didn't notice how low you burned.
You burned too low!
Your flame reached the end of the stick
where I clung to you,
and you burned my fingers
You burned my fingers, and I cried out in pain as
I watched you fall
And I dropped to my knees, searching for balm in the
darkness
but found none . . .

until I remembered your brightness
and your warmth
and that vibrant dance
and I smiled
and I sang like a goat
and I said goodbye
with a warm heart