A silhouette that is my soul
Soft and shaded in the night
Is suddenly bathed in warm light.
Whispers of guilt and shame
Become memories erased by time.
The torture of the annihilation of innocence
Ripped from me-shred by shred
Is replaced with a touch
And the drops of blood seal the wounds.
But I watch as the light reveals
The shadows that emerge
From the very depth of my being.
And they are immortal and deathless
They torment with truth and flaw
And chase me down to chisel at my newfound hope.
I close my eyes so they cannot see me
But they become even larger.
I try to run into nothingness
But it is to them that I flee
I will myself to face them,
But tremble and cower with fear.
To resist is pointless
Only the light can cause them to flicker.
So I wait in despair until they fade.
And then, from the light,
I sense warmth
And see a figure rise to me
I am no longer alone.
Your illumination is as pure as moonlight
Your shadows thin and pacified
And I tremble softly
Recognizing the traces of silver innocence that line your soul.
Terrified, I make feeble attempts to hide
Ashamed of the darkness that devours me
But you watch me thoughtfully,
Staring at the blackness
And capture my eyes with your own
And smile upon me with acceptance and adoration.
Fear evaporates into mist
As I am drawn to your presence
Fascinated by each feature-every breath
And as you stand they're shimmering in the light,
I feel myself enveloped by the softness that surrounds you.
You beckon to me
Opening yourself to receive me
Waiting patiently as I begin struggle
And I try to run to you
Away from the loneliness
Away from the fear
Away from the torture
To your light.
And in a moment of terror and truth
I feel the tug of my shadows pulling me from your grasp
Forcing me back into submission.
I glance to you, but you still wait,
Helpless to aid my struggles.
I scream and fight to be released,
But the blackness grows deeper,
Smothering my cries of desperation
And shove me to my knees, as I grow weary and weak.
Suddenly silent and still
The shadows stand tall around me
Exposing my body-bruised and broken
Gloating in their victory
As pain jerks at my flesh.
And the light barely flickers around me.
I lift my eyes to yours
In a silent plea and pledge of love.
You glance at me through my tears one final time
And slowly step away from me
Until I feel you disappear
Taking so much more with you
Then with what you first came.