A shoot sprouted from the Earth.
I saw it grow,
Small yet determined,
It reached upward
Like it knew
The sun was watching.
Cheering.

And so it bloomed,
Burning with life
Together with the sun,
Eternally blazing.

But hands came—
They always do—
And plucked it out,
Not letting any else flourish.

Before it went,
I saw it turn to me.
Or maybe it didn't. I heard it anyway.

With a smile that quite didn't reach its eyes,
It,
Resisting, succumbing.
Before it went completely out.
"Life" it said,
"Begets Death
Like fireflies
To a flame".

And then it was gone.