remembering a story

of the duality of fire

and thinking what it is 

to be like kind

like tandem dancing 

on a razor's edge

where the embers 

are sweet warm below

and falling means

to burn

when I was always waiting

for the fire to find me

from the dream

so that I was so eager

to damn the risk

and take the chance

I forgot I was also

half the blade

and part the risk

to take

and nothing cuts

like what can't be seen

except by those who see

and suddenly I understand

why you have never looked

the same way twice

from any moment to the next 

except without my eyes

because for us shapeshifters

survival is in disguise

and fear in what might happen

with the things 

we may have seen

but we do not talk about

and then the ones 

we do

and what we've already

done with that 

and the purpose of these days

emerges as learning gentle

and learning strong

and the balance of how best

to use our fire

and then somewhere in this future

or in the time we cannot name

the web will mend itself

to hold us in its net

and we will dance 

on the crisp edge

of the sharpest stars

as flame dancing unto flame