Shadowfall Poem by Seamus O' Brian

Shadowfall

Rating: 5.0


Shadows are not citizens of darkness,
They dwell not in the murky ink of night
Nor hail from the deep troughs of space
That lap the silent, black seas of infinity.

Shadows neither rightly claim constituency
In the kingdom of the light, for they are
Mere interlopers, happenstance half-breeds,
Not quite light, not quite darkness, not quite
Anything.

They do not belong, but they are; they do not
Live, but they exist, they do not create, but
They appear, wherever there is light, and
Something to oppose it.

The untouchable essence of not quite light,
The half-cast bastard of stalking twilight
The nothingness that gives everythingness
Depth and contrast and the visible texture
Of reality.

The grey voids that creep together, drawing,
Reaching, touching, finding borders and margins
To merge together, stitching deeper and darker,
Finally, blanketing the earth in the vast shadow
Of night.

Friday, December 30, 2016
Topic(s) of this poem: shadows
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Annette Aitken 06 January 2017

Well Seamus I have to say I will now look at a shadow in a different light, never really gave them much thought before but only to get out of the shadow when it was sunny out. A very interesting write indeed, nicely done. Annette

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Pamela Sinicrope 01 January 2017

This is a really well written poem...so enjoyable. Your images and ideas about shadows and what they represent...all packaged in a pithy balanced poem that plays with word endings, contrasts in meaning, and synthesizes the senses (looking, touching, feeling) ...this is a favorite for me.

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Seamus O Brian 03 January 2017

Thank you, dear Pamela. Your discriminating insight is always a reward in itself. I am so very pleased you enjoyed it. :) S

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Rebecca Navarre 31 December 2016

Wow So Much Feeling To This! ! ! ! ! Well Patterned Out Poem! ! ! ! ! Excellently Done! ! ! ! ! Again Many 10S! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Thank You Again For Sharing! ! ! ! !

1 0 Reply
Seamus O Brian 03 January 2017

Dear Rebecca, Nobody's exclamation points make me smile like yours. Your enthusiastic exuberance is so contagious and deliriously kind that not a shadow could ever remain in my heart when I read your gracious comments. Thank you always! ! ! :) ! ! S

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Seamus O' Brian

Seamus O' Brian

Galway, Ireland
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