I have seen
The candles of grief
Flickering in
The night
And I have heard
The mournful cries
Echoing in
The wind
And I have known
How it feels to learn
Life doesn’t come
For free
It carries a price
That the faceless one
Will someday collect
From you
Richard Schnap is a poet, songwriter and collagist living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His poems have most recently appeared locally, nationally and overseas in a variety of print and online publications.