Exhausted

A flicker ignites, then fades away, A fleeting spark in the light of day. Though nature's course, it declines and flows, This sensation strikes, abruptly it shows, Like a candle snuffed in a breath's embrace, A star that flickers, then leaves no trace. Exhausted, yes, that’s the refrain, Worn down by lessons, a silent strain. Not the knowledge, but perhaps the grind, Or the hearts of many, so hard to find. This fire within, I cannot quell, A smoldering ache, a private hell. So I’ll embrace the flames that rise, For a time, I’ll linger 'neath the skies, Until the glow begins to wane, And shadows whisper of the pain.