SHADOW ON MY WALL
The date just turned over.
This day is thirteen minutes new.
But, I am plagued by the dark of night
thrown against the dawn to come.
Reading friends' comforting words
had these corners of my mouth
making a mad dash to my ears
in a wise and peaceful grin.
Just then my subconscious whispers
to my peripheral as I glance to my left;
"There is a Chinese dragon on the wall"
It is clearly delineated in its poise to swing to and fro.
Countless times I have seen that view.
Never seeing the forest for the trees.
Or, more to the point,
the potted hanging plant for the dragon.
But how could I?
There were cataracts on my soul
barring me from unclouded vision.
The giant shadow on the wall of my heart
had me stumbling and tumbling
after so many false starts
Letting it shape me like so much origami
But you see? Even my shadow knew I was not
as fragile as a mere piece of paper,
nor did I have the elusive, untouchable quality of its namesake
These and all shadows are now reclaimed as my own,
to be as fun as picking shapes out of clouds
for they only ever held as much power as I gave them.
Me and my shadows will now walk hand in hand
skipping joyfully in the knowledge
that the depth of our power has always been up to us.