Darkness Waits

Darkness Waits in indignation
just beyond the circle of light.
With all its power
it wishes against the flame,
but all the darkness in the universe
cannot extinguish a single candle.

Darkness waits in resignation
while the candle consumes itself
in flame-induced breeze, and
the flow of molten wax
pools upon the table.
It takes time,
but there's plenty of that --
darkness waits.

Darkness waits in anticipation,
mocking those huddled in the light,
with dancing shadows
cast by fluttering flame.
Tick by tick, time flees,
inch by inch the candle shortens.
Darkness creeps from crevices
with chilling regularity.

Darkness waits till,
soft as a sigh,
the flame breathes its last
and dies --
With sudden closure,
darkness leaps across the void
with its thick, choking dread.
Darkness waits
no more!

Dallas D'Angelo-Gary 01