i walk on my hands now
i used to walk on my feet
like everyone else
but i got tired of
my shadow always
dogging my heels
i jumped a lot
but that was exhausting
and i always had to come
down
so
now i walk on my hands
the first time
i did it
i was able to lock hands
with my shadow
and wrestle him off the ground
empty where his eyes were
smooth where his ears should be
vacant where his mouth might have opened
yet it laughed
this human-sized oil spill
knowing that my only choices were
to pull it to myself
so that would never be parted
or go back to letting it follow me
i walk on my hands now
on my shadow, hand-in-hand
a compromise
Words and Feathers 
Clever, really enjoyed it 🙂
Thanks!
Our shadows are always there, even when we can’t see them…(K)
It’s true. They’re always skulking around behind our backs.
Or in our minds!
Very nice!
I read this fabulous poem with the idea that the “shadow” represents our dark side. At times, we may wrestle with thoughts that aren’t all together kind or pure.
That’s exactly it. And I think part of the whole circus act is accepting that part of yourself.
Love this! My favorite childhood poem was by Robert Frost, and was about “Me and My Shadow.” This reminds me strongly of that…
Thanks so much! I’m not familiar with his poem. I’ll have to check it out.
Brilliant! 🙂
Thank you so much!
I wrestled my shadow but she won and now I have to stay inside while she pretends to be me. *nods to Shirley Jackson
I haven’t read that one.