All That’s Left

The soft glow of candles
Light the room softly,
Pushing the shadows back
And giving the illusion that everything is okay,
The soft whisper of a lover’s arms
Wraps around me tightly,
Keeping me safe and protected,
The candles bathe the room
In warm and gentle scents,
And for one moment
I actually forget about all
The hate, disorder, and injustice,
For that one space in time
Only we matter with
Our linked hands and matching heartbeats,
But all things must come to an end,
Sooner or later the candle will burn out
And the acrid aftertaste will linger,
After all is said and done
While my arms are empty of any lovers,
I’ll realize that this is all I have left.