Sometimes, an ember of sunshine

is all we need,

that bit of hopeful light

to safely keep

in a pocket,

in a palm,

in a locket,

in a song,

nourish it

until it again is strong

enough to fully illuminate

on its own,

for sometimes even the sun

gets weary

of using all of its energy

seemingly so futilely

and needs a brief eclipse

to recharge fully,

like a yellow wildflower

I gently hold

between fingers,

stem still intact

and whisper to it

that we can both

be a genuine star

in yet another non-

act.

Poem and image ©LauraDenise