Doing the Hokey

You can choose to be a flame;
to glow bright against the dark;
you can bring a note of cheer
into the gloom.

You can moan that life is short;
there's no difference you can make;
there's no joy that you can bring
into the room.

Bright light, or blues?
Which will you choose?
The time left to decide is all too brief...

Darkness or flame?
Which will you claim?
What will your answers say about your belief?

(Just a note: Please understand -- these Baptist rhythms and theologies were drummed into me repeatedly from a very early age. Believe me: they are EVERY bit as irritating to me as I suspect they are to you.  But sometimes I just have to let them have their way with me, in hopes that having once gained the spotlight they'll slink back into the shadows where they belong...)