Incense Rising

When people do not care

as we wish they would,

there is nothing to do,

nowhere to go

to escape the empty void

of hopes gone up in smoke.

We must simply stand there --

no use flinching --

and let the void shower its nothingness upon us,

the scent of charred dreams

heart's incense rising to Heaven

with the mute prayer,

"Please, let this not happen again."

And, somehow,
in that mysterious place
between incense and ashes,
we begin to
survive.