The Shadow Knows

The Shadow Knows

...is not just an idiom.

I keep 'em clean,
polish them a little
and make 'em safe -
my poems -
not just for you,
but for me,
for my reputation
and peace of mind.

If I consent,
life will pull me
right into my shadow
where light bends
trailing off at odd angles,
where fear speaks sharply
with wet expletives piercing
the impenetrable understanding
we all like to call Gospel,
before breaking me into halves -
the one I know and protect
the other I hopelessly reject.

Thus far I've managed
to keep these pages clean,
not for you -
for me.

---

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
~ William Shakespeare - Macbeth

I don't need a friend who changes when I change
and who nods when I nod;
my shadow does that much better.
~ Plutarch

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