in the arena

in the arena
when the child
of a friend
takes their first breathe
as the wax melts away 
from the wick as the candle is lit

in the arena
when the friend
of a friend
becomes conscious of their breathe
as the soft glow of light spreads out
reflecting windows within the shadows on all living form

in the arena
when the child soul
within a friend
exhales their last body breathe
as a sliver of red at sunset heats the air
pushing the clouds past the horizon to the unseen infinity of space