We stole this fire together

Prometheus’ boon in our hands

And we ignite the flammable darkness

And the cobwebs of this dank place

Is consumed in a burst of brilliance

We saw the world before us

And we were astonished

By its beauty

By the sheer bravado and daring

Of its inhabitants

We were bowled over

By its vivacity, by its intricacy

The spectacle before us, illuminated

Sparkles with a vividness that is

Captivating, engrossing.

And yet

We were frightened

For an undercurrent of malice is at hand

A hint of unnamed evil lurks

In places even this fire cannot

Completely erase, drive out

We were perplexed,

For while beauty and transcendence exist

Ugliness and pain are its mirror images

And while kindness mark our days,

The blood of hapless victims cry out

And so we ask ourselves

Do we want to close our eyes,

And refuse to peer out into the darkness?

Shall we extinguish this fire?

Or shall we continue to hold it up high,

Until all see the light, and rejoice?