Guarding the Flame
by Benji Raymond


As the winds hovers above,
the flame flickers in a moment of weakening
and I encircle the glowing radiance,
now a dimly lit remembrance of what once was.

As I continue to guard the flame
the wind prevails in its strength
and as the chuckling town's folk gather at my store's window
they see a mirage of insignificance,
when all I see is a glow of beauty.

As the winds of time change
as they so often do
and the cold grey clouds gather in assembly,
I use the flicker of illumination
to spark a more powerful flame.

As the dimly lit light grows,
I call upon the town's folk with an unpretentious smile
and let them share the beauty of the flame's warmth.

The warmth that once went unnoticed,
The truth that was once viewed to be dressed in the clothes of lies,
an illusion of falsity...
now at a moment of need in the coldness of the urban landscape
the flame surrounds the town's people and provides wholesome warmth.

The Flip Side