Epigraphic Prompt Response, Paper Poetry

Crystal Flame

burns on

“For unless I am myself, I am nobody.” ~ Virginia Woolf

Before he died Dad gave me a gift, something remembered, dredged from dementia, momentarily clear as the flame he spoke of.

Can’t remember exactly words he’d remembered several decades. I’ll ask my erudite sister. She’ll remember the source.

An old book read about art, history, creative genesis. The gist I recall, about vision and truth,

being true to self, honoring what burns inside, shedding light, making us shine, illuminate nations,

guiding our way. Keep it alive, he seemed to be saying, the brilliance we share, that “hard crystal flame”.

Not very long after he fell to the floor, his heart ceased beating. Six women bore him to bed. He would have been happy.

What more can be said? That hard crystal flame shines on through darkness, keeps guiding our way, even after death.

~ Wry Welwood 17th of May 2022

written in memory of my father, Alfred Welwood Jones; also in response to the Paper Poetry’s W13 prompt, Virginia Woolf’s words as quoted above, and a reference to emeralds.

attention: Indubala Kachhawa. Thanks to Carolyn Hastings.