The air is saturated with the light aroma of vanilla
and a tinge of red wine
The last notes of “Happy Birthday” hang in the air
each sung in a different tone by the drunken relatives surrounding me
creating a wave of crashing chords, a clashing medley that somehow fits
I grip the table i am sitting in front of
feeling the cool glass surface, almost shatterable but not quite
and the chair legs beneath me that i wrap my feet around
and the candles are lit. they glow like stars set right in front of my eyes
i could almost hold it in its perfection, it does not seem like it would hurt
to cup that flame in the palm of my hand
to spin the stars from my fingertips
they scream “Make a wish!”
my eyes squeeze shut
my breath locked in
so tightly i feel a balloon will burst inside me at any moment
and in one motion i let it whisper out
The candles extinguish
the gray smoke lingering heavy in the air
this moment i could hold forever
the pure bliss of wishes being wished
suspended forever, hanging around me.
and then its gone.