Approaching flames
warm hands, wake
mind, sparks sear heart,
ignite fiber of truth—
a thread of hunger burns

Eternal pyre,
inferno of letters,
old stories illuminated—
a pearl, a passion, a phoenix

This skeleton of dust
catches fire,
I know where I
belong.

In red embers
where love transforms
smoking ash,
I find myself:
A fading flower,
temporal vapor,
with flammable soul

***

Prasanta Verma, a poet, writer, and artist, is a member of The Contemplative Writer team. Born under an Asian sun, raised in the Appalachian foothills, Prasanta currently lives in the Midwest, is a mom of three, and also coaches high school debate. You can find her on Twitter @VermaPrasanta, Instagram prasanta_v_writer, and at her website: https://pathoftreasure.wordpress.com/.