While Bending Light Over Your Knee

While bending light over your knee
for the dark lesson of your self loathing-
you must stave off the bitter urge to annihilate
the precious gift of your heart
in the vice grip of thorn
balloons.
you must burn out
the treachery of lost hope
with a candle as small
as you thought
the world
but brighter
by a thousand
lost ones.

and be
loved.