Stine Writing and Miniatures

W3 Prompt #225: Wea’ve Written Weekly

W3 Prompt #225: Wea’ve Written Weekly

Judy’s prompt: The last candle

An old woman blows out 78 candles on her birthday cake, but one refuses to go out, no matter how hard she blows. It burns with a blue flame and whispers a name she hasn’t heard in 40 years. Your poem is her conversation with that candle. What does she decide to do: let it keep burning, or pinch it out?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Just Fade

The flame will not fade
for it holds onto you
a love there’s no trade
a love that is true

Oh, damn you, damn light
Just fade like my mind
I no longer want this
No joy can I find!
But now you burn bright
and flicker with glee
as the wax dripping white
tries to reach down to me!
You must go out now
I’m fading too fast
I’m just an old cow
Nothing good’ll ever last

The flame burning blue
is hot to the skin
Now burning through
My mind cannot win.

©2026 CBialczak

21 comments

  6. Christine, ‘I’m just an old cow / Nothing good’ll ever last’—but the flame doesn’t listen. It just keeps burning blue. The rhyme holds it all together, and her rage at the mercy it won’t grant her is raw. This is powerful. 💙

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.