An epiphany is like a match struck in total darkness
it illuminates a road you never knew was there
keep the spark alive until it becomes an anchor

But what happens when your tether
is made from grief and regret?
It becomes a spectating sport
a ghost trapped behind glass walls

Cut the strings
turn all doubt into a lantern
wrap it with wishes
until the wick burns brightly
with hope exhumed from
a place of happy memories

Cast your latern off
let it rise among a thousand others
who want the world to see
they aren’t defined by a single moment
let it become a celebration for everything
left behind in the dirt

Worries drift away
into a night filled with small mercies
when final twinkle appears on the horizon
you’ll know you’re free

(This poem originally appeared in EastLit Magazine)