I opened and the shadow
gently trumped me.
In the open air like this
he is the master; I
knew better than to challenge.
Later, the shadow called
to see if I got home ok.
It was one night in many.
It was not the beginning or
the end. I told him
thanks for calling. I looked
at myself long and fierce in
the silvery mirror. The line
of my jaw is hard; darkness
gathers there like scar.
Tomorrow, I tell myself I will
not play games of chance.
I will use every bit of sunshine.
It’s a private ceremony, this
dance, first with the shadow,
then, when it all goes quiet,
with myself, for the duration.
