a small flame

she was a flame,
a minor
one at best.
small
and tender
on the tip of
a white
candle, but her
light was
dim, the heat
scarce.
still you held
it for as
long as you
could,
carrying it
with you,
hoping it might
get brighter,
start a fire
within your
heart, but
no. it just
burned slowly
dripping,
flickering,
to be
finally snuffed
out in a cold
hard melt.