take a white bowl
(perhaps a gift–
a hand-me-down–
a castaway–
but any white bowl
will do)

fill it with water
(a mason jar set
beneath the full moon–
melted snow–
any water
enough to fill a bowl)

light three floating candles
(magenta for burning away doubt–
blue for illuminating
purity of intention–
pink for kindling
healing energy)

drink too much tea
(huangshan maofeng
from anhui province–
chai latte–
the teabag languishing
in back of the cabinet)

watch the flames burn
(which burns longest?
extinguishes first?
which candles meld
in warming water?
where does fire go?)

realize that your ritual
for new beginnings
is laced with endings
(fire, smoke, water–
heat dissipates–
steam evaporates)

throw away melted wax
pour water out
wash bowl

accept
that between beginning
and ending
there is no sharp line
no clear demarcation
but only
now