The Match

I stood in utter darkness, had no breath,
No light, no thought, nor did I know their dearth,
My quasi-life also a quasi-death,
A babe inside the womb awaiting birth.
Full sated on the nothing that I held,
I dared not hope possess a further boon,
And when my night was minutely dispelled,
I deeper shrank into the welcome gloom.
Without awareness of that which I craved,
I faded even more, a shaded flower.
A match was struck, took hold of me, and saved
My soul within that darkest, stillest hour.
	I did not know -- my world knew only night,
	Until you entered in, and all was light.

1/13/98