Alice
O. Howell
Cassandra
Upthreading flame, veining light
spreading invisible
network luminous
binding atom, man and star
overlook its trembling
ignore the urge to be!
pay no mind, my daughter, pay no mind
but, o ! let me warn you
should you turn your eyes inward
yearn in wonder for filaments of feeling
probe, blow, reach for the Promethean fire
you will burn, my daughter, you will burn!
your heart a conflagration, out of hand,
screaming with pain, you'll go
to love for help but destroy it
Then as a pillar of fire
a finger of time
you will have to flee all
friends and dear ones
lest you let loose the flames of madness
or become a torch in the wilderness
consecrated, a witness blazing alone
in the hands of the god
this:
the price, the prize of knowing
a.o.howell