she is the light.

soft
as the lips of a candle
against the skin of a rose.
warm
as the embrace of a fireplace
on a snowy afternoon.
pure
as the prayers of a taper
lit before a virgin saint.
innocent
as the first flutter of sun
in the morning sky.

she is the light.
she mystifies them all.

he is the darkness.

hard
as the cruelty of metal
forged over the soul.
cold
as a thousand days of hate
without memory or reason.
stained
as the smear of fresh blood
across the fingertips.
jaded
as the eyes of a soldier
without a cause.

he is the darkness.
he terrifies them all.

but when innocence melts hate,
when prayers bless profanity,
when beauty conquers hate
when light melds with darkness,

together, they become the stars.