twenty years ago.

you were single-handedly the most heinous force in my life.
the lies,
the excuses,
the manipulation,
the loss.

you were not my hurricane but you were my forest fire.
you left nothing.
no room for
regrowth,
maturity,
second chances.

& you are the reason that i was burned alive.
but you forgot

i am a phoenix.

; & -

the cosmic darkness ironically illuminated every good thing;
good intentions, good dreams, good meanings -
thoughts and words and places
all illuminated by a vast light while humanity
groped
through
the darkness.
men or angels, carried with divine might;
pure hearts, pure thoughts & pure souls -
smiles and joy too far out of reach for us as we
stumbled
through
the darkness.
when their bright lights dimmed;
and their smiles faded -
they were forced to see the same as us.

and then they too were lost in the darkness.