beautiful alone

sometimes, you wonder where
you thought you were
when you looked into
the flames you fanned into being
and in the silence
your failure becomes real

sometimes, you wonder who
you wish you were
you tried to be
who you want to be
and are, or aren't
when you realized you were alone
by that fire

sometimes you forget
what you want
and you release your
desire
or maybe not your desire,
but rather your lust, that
grasping desire that wants for self

sometimes you feel the warmth
when the cold breeze begins
to cut into your skin
you turn to the flame with new eyes

sometimes you turn your back
to the fire and
look up at the stars

you see a shooting star
and the red flame of Betelgeuse
in the shoulder of Orion
like a bleeding wound on that great warrior.

you realize,
not for the first time,
you are small.

and you are beautiful,
alone.