To Light A Candle



Before the heart repairs, before the yes,
a limbo life where living with the pain
will challenge every fibre that remains
to aid her healing, to conquer her distress.
The sign hung on his door said ‘Knock Then Leave,’
her private man required his private space;
old photographs are friends who help her grieve,
remind her still how love lights up a face.
It may not be the hour, the day or week
when all clocks stopped, or when after the trial
of meals alone where empty chairs don’t speak,
she will square her shoulders, gently smile,
and with that smile a stone will roll away.
‘I will light a candle.’ That’s all she’ll say.

About this poem

A sonnet about loss, the grieving process, as well as the healing powers of time and acceptance.

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Written on July 18, 2022

Submitted by robertg.73901 on June 21, 2023

37 sec read
62

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABCADEDEFGFGHH
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 641
Words 125
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14

Robert Graham

 · 1946 · Glasgow

Retired high school English teacher. more…

All Robert Graham poems | Robert Graham Books

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Discuss the poem To Light A Candle with the community...

3 Comments
  • Sho.zen
    Sho.zen
    Very nice
    LikeReply16 days ago
  • Inactiveuser
    Inactiveuser
    Not bad
    LikeReply18 days ago
    • Noddy
      Hi, Interactive user. “Not bad” is as Shakespeare put it, being “damned with faint praise.” A more nuanced response, perhaps pointing out a couple places where the poem doesn’t work for you would have been really useful in helping me to improve, but thanks anyway for taking the time to read it and respond at all. 
      LikeReply18 days ago
  • delano
    Cool
    LikeReply1 month ago

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"To Light A Candle" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 15 Mar. 2025. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/164004/to-light-a-candle>.

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