Parable to the Scattered Stars - Verse 2

Verse 2 of 6, first verse: http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/Sazaku/1785295/

ii. Elegy for a Falling Star

The moon's radiance came to replace the fire's last gasps.

Although you'd left this vigil long ago,

until now, I couldn't find the strength to stand.

Numbly, I took my place back at the cliff's edge,

evermore a sentry upon the shattered walls of a razed keep.

Down below, I find you again, 

struggling with a burden larger even than yourself.

Curious, I can't help but drift down to look closer.

Despite the charcoal black world and silver of the moon

there's no mistaking the object you cling fast to.

I wish I hadn't flown to you, I should've known better.

What else would you have tried to save from those ruins but me?

"Talk to me," she says, shaking my former self with gentle disbelief.

"Don't push me away," she pleads, ice streaking down her cheeks.

But we both know how pointless the effort is.

This battle was never yours to fight.

These spires were never under your protection,

This world was not a place I dared let you tread.

No, you were the one to barge in here, despite me,

bringing along with you that damn ember of hope.

I told you it wouldn't work.

Not even the sun can light the whole world at once.

You thought all it would take was a spark?

For a little while, I dared think you were on to something.

That was the mistake I made. For that, I'm sorry.

So now as the smoke clears from the carcass of the world.

I can't help but watch with some sick fascination

as you weep over what might've once been called me.

I can't say I'm terribly sad, I'm afraid.

I just wish you hadn't seen me like this.

You accomplished more than I ever thought possible.

The fact that I started to believe in your honeyed words

is testament to your incredible strength, your virtue.

It was just a matter of time, surely you realized.

Even the most vivacious flame will burn out.

And yet, you linger,

though my flesh is by now difficult to separate from frost.

You wrap this cruel shell of mine in your arms,

sharing the waning heat your body has left

as if the outcome, at this point, could somehow be reversed.

"Stop," I find myself unable to silence the words

as they drip from my lips, unsolicited.

"You're just wasting your time on me."

But of course, you cannot hear this.

Even if you could, I know you better than that.

I can't stop you.

You wouldn't stop anyway, even if I tried.

What else is new?

Even in death, I'm holding you back.

You were damned the moment you met me.

Color fades from your face with each passing breath.

As much as I want you to leave me for dead,

I've never wanted to be alive as much as I do now.

If only to find myself there, snared in your embrace.

If only to stop you from letting yourself freeze.

Just once, if you ever cared about me at all.

Listen to me now when I tell you

to get away from me, and leave me to my fate.

Don't let me be the reason behind such a tragedy.

Stop before this smoldering world loses its North Star.

Your body slumps forward, down into the snow,

draped like a discarded blanket over me.

The whole time just barely out of arms reach,

yet impossibly far, lost within the white abyss

and all this time, I never knew spirits could cry.

Author's Note

First Verse: http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/Sazaku/1785295/

This is the second Verse to what has become the most ambitious project I've started in a while - perhaps ever. I've hesitated to post this for a couple days because I've been... apprehensive of it's reception. But I've gotten to a point where I can't stand to let poetry die a dust-covered death on my hard drive, so here it is.

That said, future verses will go up depending on how this one goes over. If it goes well, I'll post the rest. If not so much, I'll hold onto them and edit them further and repeat the process. I want this to be as good as it can be when it's eventually done, which means I need a lot of eyes on it and a lot of time revising.