This Is Not an Elegy

This Is Not an Elegy

To the darkness gathered across the lake
that comes for us so quickly
here is what we can say:

Welcome

to the place where every birthday candle
and cake will become

chewed crumbs and light
that lives next as smoke

And the darkness will say back

We know all about the birthday cake
We know all about fire gone to sleep
Always we have been here where love
began and will return