"The heart is like a candle longing to be lit.

" ~ RUMI ~ Acrylic on paper By Sakina Minhaj Shikari Candle & the Departing Smoke I left no ash As I burnt through the night Waiting for you Dispelling the dark I melted away Waiting for you

But you did not come As I burnt myself in the dark Fighting the lonely night As the day dawns And there is light I burn on But you have not come I could not summon you As the day summoned the wind To blow me out Oh! You must know How hard I tried to burn on Waiting for you I must depart now I am being snuffed by the wind And the day light That shines bright and harsh I feel so useless before the sun But you must know There is no ash Left behind, but Just a melted, disfigured me Waiting for you Rush, if you can My heart is still warm Palpable, molted It sings its dying song Waiting for you So you arrive, eventually Just in the nick of time

No! Don't get the smoke in your eyes. Watch, watch carefully As I let go of myself in dance To embrace you You must know It is only against the light That one can see the smoke Taking shape, building form As it melts away in the wind Waiting for you Catch the spectacle in your eyes If you could not catch me in your arms Catch the flickering embers of my heart depart In your eyes No, there is nothing to catch Just witness the dying embers of my heart depart In your eyes As you must know The soul leaves behind no ash Watch me dance in trance Going up in smoke I am the smoke sans light Rising up Spirals and spirals of me Unchained Melt away Dispelled in light I am dispersing

Life is a flickering moment You must know by now Even the smoke has a song And can dance But for that one must Burn out! Shyam 13 August 2012