melting recovery

what candles never tell you

is that their wick is a phantom limb,

and when you light matches against their skin

the crackle is their scream, and they burn.

we litter our world with burn victims

and call them a beautiful light.

 

i let my body,

a melted waxy puddle,

succumb back into the sheets

and darkness, hiding scars 

from being used, lit as a candle 

now just disturbed white flesh

from a year and a day ago. 

i almost liked waking up

in the psych ward better

because there was no pressure

to be okay. 

Reviews

[Clockwork]

Sometimes when I read your work, I'm absolutely astounded by the way you combined ideas. This is one of those times for me again. I like the idea of candles being able to feel, and that crackling when your first light them being a scream. Now the thing that really got me: "we litter our world with burn victims/and call them a beautiful light." There is that contrast from what we as people label as beautiful VS what we actually produce on other things.

Then you have the extension of that metaphor onto the person in the second stanza with the "melting waxy puddle." The detail about the scars in the second stanza really stuck out too.

The message of that last stanza is extremely powerful. That is my favorite part of this one for reasons I can't put into words yet today. I really liked this one, my friend.

[Dana Alsamsam]

the two things sort of came together when i was journaling about candles...it was like my pen got distracted and ran here. i don't write about the psych ward too much anymore, but this one kind of just came out. thank you very much for your kind words as always :)

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

we litter our world with burn victims
and call them a beautiful light. -- way to make for creative personification! Very impressive.

I've never thought of things in this way, and for me that is what makes for great poetry. I like the idea of the candle, the wax, the burning of the wick...it all leads me back, metaphorically, to the idea of people who walk through life and gain scars, "badges of honor", and yet they still go on. The final stanza was fantastic...a slap in the face sort of fantastic. Very well done!

[Dana Alsamsam]

thank you so much! candles seem to be a recurring theme for me in poetry yet they always return meaning something different.

[kublakhan27]

I believe I have a new favourite from your catalogue :) It would also be in my library if it were not for the never-ending site glitches...I'm bipolar, I'm not gonna lie, and something about this piece just gripped me from the start, perhaps it was my fixation with candles and all the potential symbolism they carry...I just love the descriptiveness of this piece...great work :)

[Dana Alsamsam]

i almost write about candles too often, but they always come out as something different! i'm glad this related on a personal level for you- thank you so much :)

[kublakhan27]

I think we all have certain images that we become attached to, but I think of them as signatures...always a pleasure :)

[Astro]

Well Dana, this is a crushing piece of poetry not so much 'waxed' as carved upon the page in darkness. There is a not so 'phantom' light at the end of it all though, that is, that candles can be remade. Like yourself, lying near formless and burnt, with a little careful handling will one day stand tall and the flame will come dancing from you.

[Dana Alsamsam]

your look onto the bright side is refreshing. thank you so much, and i sure hope so!

[Astro]

Some might call me delusional, but I'm just someone who believes dreams can come true.

[Archangel Gabriel]

Wow a powerful write. So full of anger and bitter tastes of being used. I understand the feeling of being free to simply be what you feel at the time you are having been a mental health professional. As always well written!

[Dana Alsamsam]

thank you so much! i always appreciate your kind words.

[Archangel Gabriel]

Gosh my syntax sucked on that review lol!

[Tomahawk Joe]

I like the metaphorical candle as a reference.It speaks of how we get used in life sometimes without anyone noticing or even caring.

[Dana Alsamsam]

i really like your take on this! thank you for reading

[B-poet]

A very interesting and uniquely written piece. Great work. A fine write and read. :)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

we feel like those candles...lit too many times, burned too many times...

being in the psyche ward is a good idea in the poem...the idea of not having to be okay...not having to hide the physical and mental scars...

funny that fire is so dangerous, it burns us...and yet when we age each year, we light up the cake...

at least those flames are small and we can blow them out...the scars from the big burns won't blow out so easily.

tremendously talented you are, Dana.

jacob

[Dana Alsamsam]

wow, suddenly birthday cakes have become very contrary! thank you so much- i really appreciate your kind words to me as always!

[K. Louis]

Simply lovely write... well done throughout Dana. Kudos!

[Richard]

a very lovely rythym you got going on here ... it flows very nicely as does all your stuff, but it's one big metaphor and I liked it :)
I also really enjoy the idea of bringing a candle or any object to life with limbs and phantom tollbooths and so on :)
really really good Dana

[Dana Alsamsam]

thank you so much!!

[Richard]

it's honestly a great escape to read good poetry or good anything ha
so, thank YOU :)

[Richard]

you have a very meticulous mind it's great :) having a series like you do about a teenage homosexual or whatever, I forget what it was .. but like, or to even have to big ideas in one cohesively it's just special and I'm gonna' shutup now but I just mean that I really do appreciate being able to read the greatness you create ...
and I am an idiot ha
sorry

[Dana Alsamsam]

aw oh my god you're so sweet! i really do appreciate your kind words always. they mean so much to me!

[Richard]

you are MOST welcome :)