Brief Candle

BRIEF CANDLE She was on the windowsill outside. I lunged to grab little Stacey - Got her arm in my tight fist. She was safe, but hanging. Eighteen floors up, Her arm slipped from my grasp. In slow motion she fell the first four feet And I knew in an instant she was gone. She did not cry out in panic, Almost smiling serenely, No doubt thinking daddy Would grab her again in two seconds. God caught her in three seconds. Still feel the smooth little arm As it decided to leave my grasp. Still see her upturned face, unafraid, Not even realizing she had departed. ……………………………………………………………………………… Note My daughter is now twenty, but recently I had a horrifying nightmare about her childhood, from which I awoke yelling at the top of my voice, “No!! No!!” and scaring the life out of my wife. Couldn’t get it out of my mind for days afterwards.