Compline starts with stillness.
Silence. Candlelight flickering.
Shadows dancing on ancient
talismans: wait for it—
The breath of air brushing
past, the presence, the cloak
of darkness spread gently in
the silence. Holding back the night.
Voices rise, a chant written in the
stars, transcribed centuries ago when
the world trembled with fear.
The breath of air
the presence
You are not alone. Wait for it—
The prayer rises with the incense:
Be our light in the darkness
deliver us from all perils
and dangers of this night.
Candlelight flickering
Holding back the dark:
This is how we live on the threshold of night.