A Flame, A Light

For many days and many nights,

I stared upon that golden Light.

I sought to find an answer here,

to calm my doubts and still my fear.

But it was not until I stood,

and set myself upon this quest,

to find that Light and know it's source,

That fear and doubt had left my chest.

And as I traveled much had come,

to stop and slow and block my way,

as if to find and know that Light,

would be to someone's dark dismay.

But ne'ertheless I walked and walked,

and climbed and swam and crawled and ran,

For nothing mattered but that Light,

More sure now than when I began.

The Light sat high upon a hill,

for all to see it's wondrous shine,

and I began my journey's end,

that ardent, well-intentioned climb.

But as I climbed that sacred hill,

As I came closer to the Light,

I found myself to be ever darker,

As if I'd lived my life in Night.

The nearer to the end I was,

The darker I found myself to be,

I stopped my journey near the top,

To find and cure what ailéd me.

But I could not save or cure myself,

My wit was at a likely end,

I felt like an unworthy wretch,

The Light would not accept me then.

But I traveled so far, so long,

I could not stop so closely here,

And so I crossed that final stretch,

despite my almost certain fear.

As I crossed o'er that final crest,

My darkness at it's dismal peak,

The Light shone forth and pierced my soul,

Exposed the dark, so vile, so bleak.

I could not bear to stand there long,

Laid bare before it's fiery glare,

but I remained a moment more,

In hopes this Light would, my soul, repair.

But then the Light began to fade,

Becoming faint and quickly dim,

My hope was quickly fading too,

My fate was certain; dark and grim.

But then, I noticed, strangely so,

The darkness that had gripped me tight,

Was also very quickly fading,

As if connected to the Light.

And so the Light was there extinguished,

took my darkness in and died,

I was amazed, aghast, astonished,

I sat upon that hill and cried.

Yet through my tears I saw a spark,

I wiped my eyes to see it clear,

And surely, there a flame ignited,

Where the light had once appeared.

And as I watched the fire burn,

I felt such a warmness inside,

So much I looked upon myself,

And Lo! A flame did there reside.

The Light had died and lives again!

It vanquished all the dark within,

And now I live, engulfed in flame,

Which burns away my guilt and shame!

Of this Light, the world must learn,

They all must see me as I burn,

For just as I was, so are they,

The Light, I tell them, is the Way.