A Song for Embers and Matches

Bring yourself out
Bring yourself to dance and to sing
Stand on two feet
Or crawl on four
Balance on shoulders
Bring yourself to laugh
To love
To never forget but to always remember
everything has its time
and in every moment there is a chance to dance
and every time a spark of laughter
In every body a sterling tear of agony
and every soul an endless well of mirth
Drink deeply from that pool
And your eyes will open to see
That all is written
All was penned
And all will return to nothing and everything
before the explosion of being
And after the cessation of self
The space in between is counted in choked breaths of laughter
and the smiling of G-d

And what of pain?
What of murder?
Of rape, of genocide?

Laugh with a sword drawn
Laugh like a wolf’s howl
and your arms girded with the strength of the ancients and the growing
Smile, smile
Sing a verse of praise
Your time has come
Let your mouth be filled with song
And your eyes glow as fire
Warming and burning

And let your tale not be one of caution
For those who have forgotten how to live

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