The Tale of the Flameless Taper

by Greg Asimakoupoulos

Posted: November 1, 2019

An All-Saints Day reminder…

A lonely candle lacks a flame.
What flickered finally died.
The light that lit our family now is gone.
And yet I know the dark won't last.
That flame will blaze again.
Our midnight grief will turn to joy by dawn.

A flameless candle pictures death.
It calls to mind our grief.
It is a stark reminder of our loss.
A half-burned taper tells the tale
of one so loved who's missed
and what is owed to pay death's greedy cost.

Our unlit candle's not alone.
I know of many more
that symbolize a loved-one's final breath.
And yet these flameless tapers point
to what (by faith) awaits.
Rekindled candles can't be quenched by death.

In Heaven, tapers stand quite tall.
The flames they boast are bright.
There is no cause to think they'll be snuffed out.
Without concern each candle beams
with light and warmth to spare.
Wicks re-ignited know what they're about.

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Greg Asimakoupoulos (pronounced AWESOME-uh-COPE-uh-less) is an ordained minister, published author and chaplain to a retirement community in the Pacfic Northwest. Greg maintains a blog called Rhymes and Reasons, which he graciously provides to SeniorLifestyle.

Greg's writings have now been assembled in book form. See the SeniorLifestyle Store.

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Posted: November 1, 2019 Accessed 240 times

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Well said...

Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.

Mark Twain