candlestick

poem

Photo by Nav Rashmi Kalsi on Unsplash

observe the strangers in your row,
the other candles’ flames,
something,
anything,
noticing everything,
find what you did wrong,

erase your place on the bench,
trade your words as wicks
and wait,
befriend
the desperation
of awaiting disappointment,
pass the candle to your left,
don’t be the one to spill.
wax on your skirt?
that’s not
normal.

so you spill it, spill the candlestick,
walk along the pew of judges,
drip the wax on the laps
of
people
who
don’t
know
you
exist.