Sputtering Flame (a poem)

A screenshot of a poem, entitled "Sputtering Flame," in simple white text on a dark background.

The poem reads:

Your wondrous spark set me alight.
A candle, burning against the darkness
Never so alive, never so full of warmth and purpose:
To illuminate your every move
And keep the monsters at bay.
You would dance in my light,
And with every flicker of my flame, the playful shadows would dance along with you.

You inspired me to burn brighter
Though neither of us seemed to notice
The wax melting
Dripping
Pooling on the tablecloth
In globs of color
Because, misshapen though I became,
I felt the warm joy of being able to watch you thrive.

As I began to sputter, rather than tend my flame
You grew upset at the fading light
And the long unflattering shadows it cast upon you.
The wax gathered at your feet now
Cold, hardened, no longer malleable
And you grew cold as well.

Reduced to ash and ember
Still I smolder
Though I can no longer brighten your smile,
No longer warm your skin,
No longer keep your demons from you.