Only for Myself

The One True Flame I Will Not Acknowledge

There are
floating candles
that hang from
a crystal chandelier
in the room
of my mind.
Some flames
are bright,
while others
are barely alight.
Some have burned
for a very
long
time
while others
I extinguish
with two fingers,
and melted wax
is turned
to ash.
I tell myself
I could blow them all out,
and live in
complete darkness.
But I forget that you are outside—
a forest fire
that I must not touch,
lest you burn it all
down.