The Undying Flicker

I wrote this poem as a reflection on my 21st birthday. It has been a very tough year for me where there were many times that I felt like I was a flame under harsh wind gusts. How do you preserve your sense of sparkle and curiosity during the toughest of times? I also wrote this in about half an hour so it is not a sophisticated introspection but rather a raw set of words strung together when feeling hopeful was the last thing I resonated with.

The candles, tall and firm

Soldiering on

Embodying the yearly tribulations Each wearing the silver linings as a glowing crown

A Deep Inhale

Head ranging side to side

Dispensing a deeper exhale

The flames go off

One by one

Until the very last one

Only flickers

The last one, the last year

Back to the memories of a tough run

Blows, Blows, Blows

Of the real kind this time

How did you stay alive?

Circumstances wanted otherwise

But just like the flicker,

You found a way

As they say, if you want to survive,

The fire inside must burn

burn brighter than the fire around

And that was indeed the only way...