The Fire Inside

Burn brightly if in the midst of the cold dark night.
The light source you'll ever need is within you -
Being constantly renewed
By your life source
And your life's force is driven forth
By your internal illumination.
But many of us choose not to guide our paths with this light.
We think it best not to shine bright
But to glimmer, if at all, dimly
And to seek the radiance that abounds from another.
Lamely, many of us ignore our luminance potential
And some of us are taught that we don't shine at all
And learn to ignore the spark we might feel on occasion.
But luminescence resides in us all, with the power
To brighten the entire world with its resonance.
It's why you'll often find that one man can lead a great nation -
He has allowed his light to shine
And pierce through the darkness that seeks to snuff out his inner flame
And brighten the eyesight of those in the shadows
And to bring the fire to spark the flameless wicks of others.
If one man can illuminate a nation with his singular radiance
Imagine the combined power of our light multiplied!
The cold dark nights would still come, as they may
But your force won't be frozen
Your sight wont be blinded
If you tap into the fire inside
And shine.

© 2008 Patricia B.

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I wrote this on October 30 - one week ago, when I and everyone else was merely hopeful about the results of the election. I'm so very very glad that the poem fits the outcome and I hope it fits the future of our country.