you stand there
uncertainty rising
anxiety building
flooding your veins
with a shaking arm
you raise your hand
a flare gun clutched
within your sweaty palm
fingers furling and unfurling
you know
it’s now or never
do it while you still
have the nerve
you’ve built up
mentally counting
‘one, two, three’
finger squeezing
body recoiling
from the impact
you did it
no going back now
the signal is out
landing who knows where
not knowing if
it’s even been seen
hope sparks with
the flash of the flare
the only unknown
is if someone saw
that spark and
wants to ignite
their own spark too