I relish in the deep sigh
Of passing misfortune
At the close of all peril and anguish
I trace unseen ground
Confident, assured
Sound and certain

Transient thoughts
Are serene and docile
Unwavering
Wholesome and pure
As trusted companions
Immense and stouthearted

I revel
As scuttled deeds catch fire
Coddled by the flicker
Of infernal exodus

They are hurled
Into a billowing oblivion
As weightless embers
Frail, hopeless and forgotten

The gears of consciousness
Grind slow and heedful
Urging my eyes
To savor these initial years

At their giving zenith
At their generous prime
I mustn’t allow
Their vibrancy to stale