Shadows

There is no escaping the shadows

their strange, shapeless mire

we hide from them in daylight,

forgot them in the busy hours

But they come for us at twilight

and we escape them by sleep

but they wait for us in dreams

to remind us what we cannot keep

Oh, but were we not victims of sleep,

creatures doomed to rest,

then we would not weep,

we would be our best.

trudging headlong into the forest

With no knowledge of the hunt

the kill,

the blood

the thrill

It haunts us

We would wait by streams for fair maidens

with no need to protect their innocence

For they would have no shame

No secrets

No vice

No malice 

No blame

Morning awaits us

But we long for night

Angels bow down in wonder

at our plight

We love the night

The doom

the death

the stench

The foul foolishness of folly is our curse

Curiousness is our slave master

and we bow in homage

But had we no need for want

there would be no boundaries

no doors

no locks

Oh but for the shadows,

we would own the night

                                    Mitchell Plumlee, Jr. © 2018