she'd watch him put every piece back into place

an endless puzzle
just beginning to form

she never offered her assistance
she was content to watch
to listen
to, eventually, understand

sometimes the pieces didn't yet fit
and he would shake his head, and laugh
and try anew

those errors grew less frequent as the puzzle neared solving
fewer ways to go wrong, she supposed
fewer ways to let their time run long

he knew of her, of course
everyone did

she brought them life, after all

but then they left
and forgot her
the tiny little pieces that meant she lived, too

and she waited for them to come home
to rebuild her from scratch

one piece after another

the final one slips into place

and she beams

///

light

the first thing we see
and we're surrounded by it
every moment

only see the brightest
too blind to see the embers

but burn the paper backwards

reverse time in slow motion

undo the scars of crimson and grey

and you see
finally
for the first time in your life

just how bright those tiny embers are
how warm every tiny voice must be

how shadow makes every one brighter