she held a candle in her hand at night because

it was the only light she had and she

watched it whip and flicker

behind the door she kept locked and

wouldn’t answer

even when they knocked

she’d sit staring at that candle

holding it close til it almost burned her face

whispering incandescence

–

dreamt of a field of flowers burnt to ash

candelabras

sprouting through loose soil sterling silver stems

phallic paraffin blooms

pollinated as passing fireflies propped themselves

upon eager wicks

dousing them in flame

–

in her mind the field erupted

a brilliant spectacle multicolored light-show

fire she wished to be

consumed by

wax turning flesh

melting

–

she had wings

crafted from the wax she saved melted down

covered her arms layered with down from her cot

set off in night to kiss the sun

but she

hasn’t found it yet