the others

who raise our fire

in this life

are the only true teachers we have

each of us know this

whether we ever

speak it aloud

or not

the players

that spur us

into action

of one kind or another

are the carriers of embers

so strong

they know no right or wrong

but only what it means to burn

and so we

—receptacles

—vectors

—fire bearers

must embrace ourselves

as the others

and one another

and understand

that there are no students or masters

but only the firebrand

that ignites the holy light

of the heretic

in the hallways

of the hollow

Image: Andrei Verner