Category: Shadow Poetry

Micro Stories · Shadow Poetry

i act like i need it

Daphne ShadowsLeave a comment

I stared at the words written on the wall for hours without ever seeing them.

The warmth of the day bloomed in me until all I knew were the leaves above in their muted dance.

And my lips recognized the lyrics before my thoughts did. Paint splashing against the wall of my heart. Your voice reverberating through the hollows of my dreams.

You follow me into the empty. Crushing colored glass under my toes in paradise, some sense of you leading me forward.

I can feel you breathing beneath my skin, I see you speak every time I close my eyes.

And there’s this buzz, deep in my flesh. Past the marrow and into the atomic darkness, hidden where the dancing lights of misery and joy fight. It puts a gun in my mouth one second. A love letter the next. Because I remember.

I have to feel it. So I wake up.

And you’re not there.

Shadow Poetry

Remember Me

Daphne Shadows1 Comment

Little moments.

Remember me as these little moments where my true self shines through this disease caking my pores.
They’re all I get.
These little moments.
Shuddering gasps of air, touches of soothing peace and mercy.
They’re not enough. They hide behind eternity now, growing farther away.
Bare slits in the bag over my soul, leaking until I can see the sun, for a brief reprieve.

And I give them to you.
Little notes. Filled to the brim with what my tears can’t communicate.
Before I crumple back in on myself, alone and suffocating.
I know it’s not enough.

What happens when that’s all I am? Scraps left behind.
As the void reaches through my skin, wrapping it’s charred claws round my heart?
The silence is breaking me.
All these little moments, huddling together in the dark, begging for more.

Just a blip on the screen of the body that was stolen from me. I am running out of time but I’m not the one using it all up.

Shadow Poetry

every wild animal

Daphne Shadows3 Comments

love has teeth

slides deep

leaves a mark

breaks in

with a noose

in the dark

in the rafters

hangs your

every enemy

sweeps out

the rug

easy remedy

clears out

your closet

in full, before

before they can

break down

your door

searching

for your dirt

in the garden

because love

love

won’t pardon

love is

a rose

soft petals aplenty

but her thorns

they don’t spare

any

she’ll take

all

of you

you’ll pay

in full

her due

when they

come to

plunder

she’ll dazzle

with passion

and wonder

touch a

soft petal

of yours?

they’ll find

what it means

to be hers

love is

armour

impenetrable

warmth

at night

unbreakable

love will

slit their

throat

stand there

laughing

til they bloat

hate doesn’t

protect like

love does

claws to

open bellies

because

you don’t

you don’t

touch

what love does

her war

cry

comes

to your chest

blood soaked

drums

love has teeth

don’t touch

what’s hers

every wild animal

every wild animal

purrs

Shadow Poetry

themis

Daphne Shadows2 Comments

do you ever lose a moment

to the ever present night?

only to realize too late

it was swallowed by the light?

i think we have it wrong

i think we’re quite confused

it’s never the dark that takes

it’s the bright lights that use

they hide behind their masks

and pretend to hold a flame

what we all new was truth

and never could quite tame

true light in the darkness

when real, is well and good

but nothing teaches better

than being lost in the abyss would

and don’t we feel all alone

in the cold light of day?

instead, a warm embrace

for which we all pray

you don’t need a crutch

you need to learn to see

when you squint against the sun

moments lost to eternity.

Shadow Poetry

silhouettes

Daphne Shadows2 Comments

i always remember

how the darkness

touched your tongue

when they forced you

into the light

your shadow drowned

their malice, their deceptions

found the fissures

dissolved your color

now you’re dull

on their pedestal

made of gold

but i’ll always remember

how you were ablaze

moon kissed and warm

Shadow Poetry

act none

Daphne Shadows2 Comments

i think i heard the last one

i think i heard it falling

but every time i look

there’s a blinding light calling

they said i shouldn’t try

i’d only taste more pain

i really did attempt

but i simply couldn’t refrain

now there’s a naked procession

a broken crown on the floor

an empty throne down the hall

and it’s not so cold anymore.

by Daphne Shadows

Shadow Poetry

Blood & Salt

Daphne ShadowsLeave a comment

I have days
Where I wish
I wasn’t

My fingertips
Burning
With all this
Broken belief

Broken mirrors
Full of dreams
I naively
Dreamt

There are all
These rules
Where I just
Don’t belong

My soul
Is a song
No one wants
To sing

Hope is
A betrayer
A siren song
Sweet lullaby
Sweeping in
To caress

Only,
I don’t see
Until it’s too late
The charcoal claws
Coming for
My soft underbelly

Carving out the warmth
Leaving me hollow
In bed sheets
Wet with blood and salt
Tears I didn’t know
I had left

No porcelain grave
To weep for
My loss

I am barred
From slumber
Repreive

I am begging
For magic
On my knees
Before the abyss

When I’m honest
Alone with
The helpless child
And monster
In me
I wish
I wish I wasn’t

by Daphne Shadows

Shadow Poetry

physio logical

Daphne Shadows2 Comments

remember to breathe into the still moments

the ones decorated with your tears, hiding in the background

the small ember of hope, dancing just out of reach

they’re waiting for you

to see them

touch them

remember to breathe into the painful moments

the one’s teaching you something, scars leaving behind your map

the large expanse of needing, underneath the floorboards

they’re built in

already used up

but renewable

remember to breathe into the forgotten moments

the one’s that broke you, leaving breadcrumbs behind your eyes

subtle hiccups of laughter and sunshine, as winter douses your flames

they’re lovely

love letters

savour them

remember to breathe into the unwanted moments

i know they hurt, but you’re stronger than their framework

your foundation is made of pillow talk and early morning dances

you can do this

they whisper

keep going

remember to breathe into the silence

and when it comes, you will be ready

to hear its brilliance

written inside

your bones

By Daphne Shadows