When Candles Burn Upside Down Poem by Sarah Mkhonza

Candles churning out cheese like wax,
Filling candle holders upside down,
Making a mess no knife can scrape.
Yet the light of all time only filters
Through. Don't ask me why this is
For the answer lies in a phrase
Coined long ago. Nothing is impossible
Where possibility is the word for let
It happen.

All colors of candles crying with wax,
Dripping while they are upside down.
Then one emerges and rares its head
Says enough is enough for change is
The name of what we have to do for
Nobody will do it for us.

Everybody looks at the reincarnation,
Of imbecility trying to rise up on
Stick legs and throwing a hearty laugh
Into the air, says, friend we are made of
Wax and follow the mold.

Frustration with the sons of Ignorance,
The god whose hand is wrapped around
People's minds, you continue to lie on
One side and squirm into the vertical
Position and when the wick looks out
Into air the flame gets bigger while
Your fellows stay with mouths gagged
By wax that leaves them burnt out of
Shape. You tell them to get out of this
For being misshapen is not the destiny of
A candle. It was born the destiny of wax.
They look at you and wonder how you got
To know this truth. You tell them that
You had to feel what burning upside down
Is before you could feel the compelling
Need to try something new for it takes
Going into prison once, to know that
Things have to change. You watch the
Eyes get bigger and you see that the
Truth is finally sinking in and candles
Burning bright begin to line the horizon
With a beauty that surpasses the light
Of dawn.