Shadows

I step outside myself
     And I see
That I don't like the way I am
     Something's keeping me
From the way I want to be.

Keeping myself
     From the real ME.
No person can understand
     What it is.
I see my life take shape,
     Then begin to fizz.

And after I step away
     From the darkling shadows
Trembling and hurting inside,
     I see two other paths:
One light, one blackened,
     And I yearn to hide.

I creep about
     never knowing how to feel.
I see the shadows
     Lurk and steal.

They take away
     What we love most:
People, hearts, minds, souls...
     And give them to the ghosts.

The ghosts hide them,
     Bind them,
Chain them down.
     For eternity?
We dont' know;
     We never hear a sound.

Some of us
     Have to wander and seek
Down that blackened path,
     To find our lost
And get them back.

For there's an empty hole
     Deep down inside
Gnawing and growing
     Even with every healing tried.

I step back inside myself
     So I can fight
And end a warrior
     Though battling through
Pain and strife.

I weaken the shadows
     With a radiant light,
Hoping to end
     This fight with the night.