Total Darkness

Total darkness
too dark even for shadows
pitch blackness surrounds
palpable, alive in its own existence
full of fear and hate and loathing
for creatures of the light
suddenly, a flame
flares up through the blackness
burns for only a few seconds
and then is extinguished
but it leaves behind
an orange/red glow
that flares and diminishes, rhythmically
but still the darkness hates the glow
and turns it in upon itself
through its force of will
scathes its owner with searing agony
and leaves me in a shaking huddled mass
of torn and broken emotion
lying on the floor
in total darkness