Come Sit With Me

Come Sit With Me

We began this boldly

charging forward

all of us together

to do good

to save lives

with chants and cheers 

with singing from balconies

rainbows and chalk drawings to

guide us.

Boldly

to conquer.

Then as time passed

our steps slowed.

paced.

The Long March

the long march 

to where?

to victory?

to the top of the hill?

to dawn?

Heavier.

A stumble.

A recovery.

A pause to look around

take a breath.

Slow became slower

the breaks longer

the miles

became blocks

fields

yards

steps.

Will you sit with me?

Still we sang.

Voices mixing

through the magic of technology.

Each voice matters.

Each voice its place.

Rising up

We shall not be silenced.

We will not go quietly 

into this —

Those too fell away,

One by one.

Some fading.

Some turning.

Some caught, 

as if breath stopped, 

or a sob -

one by one

one less by one less

the singing

stops.

And there is only this.

Only this single candle

flickering

wavering

in our dark.

only this tiny

precious light.

holding.

neither growing nor dying.

holding.

through this night.

holding

us.

as we sit with it.

as we sit with it.

there is nothing else now.

we draw to it.

we gather, we shadows.

we wait

and it does not go out.

as we settle here

we begin to realize

that we can see 

after all.

that there is light

in this dark.

not beaming

not shining

no beacons or even dawn breaking

just this

light

gentle and tiny and 

enough.

Let us sit with it.

Let us wait with it.

Let us hope.

Let us know.

It is enough.

khfc