The Shadow Eater

Their shadows should have stepped side by side

As once they had done before,

But nobody noticed that one had gone

From the boardwalk trace on the floor,

They still paraded, down by the beach

At the height of the afternoon,

And friends would swear he was still in reach

Though she wore an air of gloom.

 

Nobody actually spoke to them

So it must have been hard to tell,

Which of the couple was really there

And which fallen under a spell,

The law of shadows is crystal clear

If you’re there, a shadow is cast,

The sun shines through if it isn’t you

For that’s its primary task.

 

It happens I knew the guy quite well

And he had shadow to spare,

While she was much more ephemeral,

Was somebody not quite there.

I wondered what had attracted him

For she gave out a spray of gloom,

There wasn’t that gay affinity

That could gladly light up a room.

 

I watched as his life force faded away,

His shadow to disappear,

I told him he needed to leave that day

Or the end of his world was near.

But she reached out, and shooed me away,

Seized hold of his wavering hand,

Her eyes burned bright with an evil light,

While his were blank and bland.

 

I know that we never conversed again

I’d see him afar by day,

She clung on tight to his fading light

As she marched him around the bay,

He hadn’t a shadow left to throw

When at last he died on the beach,

Condemned by her to a living hell

As his life slipped out of reach.

 

He was laid to rest at St. Mary’s Cross

While I waited for her to pass,

To see if the shadow she stole from him

Would still cleave to her, at last.

But sunbeams shone through her mourning veil

There was only mine could save,

While I made sure as I stepped one back

That she’d die by my brother’s grave.

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

A very entertaining story in the poetry.
"He was laid to rest at St. Mary’s Cross
While I waited for her to pass,
To see if the shadow she stole from him
Would still cleave to her, at last."
The above lines left reader with proper ending. Thank you David for sharing your outstanding poetry.
Coyote

[andrew mitchell]

What can I say but excellent work I like the way you portrayed shadows!

[TPK Stories]

Another tragic tale DLP...loved it...as always...

[Lady Lola]

She was quite literally the death of him. Some people are what my dearest calls "soul vampires", they suck the life right out of you. She seems to have been one off them.

[Valentine]

It is sad when one person is so controlling they suck the life out of their partner. Some people are just weak. Valentine

[R Smith]

great inventiveness David and retribution at the last for his lost brother, those shadows are surely damn pesky things but even worse when yours gets stolen :)

[Barbz]

What a great time I had today with a bunch of my friends. I read this poem to them and we ran around the pool trying to keep in touch with our shadows........however, to my dismay, I heard a few gals laughingly trying to determine how far back they'd have to step to rob their significant others light!Ha!! it was all in fun......Lots of laughs considering the Weird Concept......Barbz

[ANTO]

While the ideal relationship is one that augments all parties there is the polar opposite in which the relationships are so toxic to all involved that they deplete until there is nothing left of whom they once were and they are unable to see it until its too late.
Human nature explored through the prism of the sun's rays here David. Excellent piece.

[Relic]

A haunting tale David. I'll think twice about my shadow on the floor from now on and make sure It's all intact before the end of the day. :) Great work.