✨ [how long]

Jan 26, 2026

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

How long must you simmer 
the purple-black fruit 
of the Ceylon cinnamon tree— 

before it yields       handheld light? 

—Bethany Rohde

✨ This poem is offered for Tweetspeak’s 2026 annual theme and Every Day Poems’ January theme: Inspiration

Poem originally written for the Tweetspeak Thank You Notes: Candles prompt. Inspired by information from the National Candle Association, about how candle wax was made in India. Used by permission of Tweetspeak Poetry. Photo by Isabella Kramer, Creative Commons, via Unsplash.