Handful of Ashes

Love burns.

Day by day as it's fire grows

love burns away life's 

disappointments, bitterness, failures,

pain, shame.

Burns away

the

torturous thoughts

of 

"should have", "could have"

and "if only's."

Like a fire which needs only

oxygen

to continue,

love devours stains

of self-doubt, smears of self-hatred,

memories of self-denial

leaving the canvas of my soul

prepped with

hope,

leaden with the buds

of all the dreams my life is

capable

of fulfilling.

In the 

glory

of Love's fire

I watch my self burn,

fully give my self over to

the powerful

cleansing.

As the refuse is spent,

flames die down and

I 

emerge

clutching my bulging hands

over my unburdened heart,

grateful

for everything that has been

removed.

I walk to the highest hill

then stretch my arms high and 

wide

before dispersing my

handful of ashes

to the wind.

- Vera