The Shadow Poem by Austyn Chimbuoyim

With the appearance of light comes shadow
Yet the real remains unchanged.
Though far from reality, it tells of the reality of the real.
Assume the world without shadows

Pity though it be,
that the two exist,
Or three: light, reality and shadow.
Or should darkness make four?

For most of the world's vision,
Occupy the shadow and all its like.
But only few men see the real thing.
Imagine a shadow-less world.

The shadow - as beautiless as it is,
so non-majestic and formless,
Yet it draws the attention of many-a-man
From beholding the beauty of reality.

Is the real made for the very-few alone?
Or has the eyes turned away from it?
This I know:
that in darkness exists no shadow;
Without the real, no shadow deceives


That light shines to unveil the reality
Yet it can't help making more shadows
To deceive the sons of men.
Think of a world without shadows

Why do many perish, sons of men?
And why are very few wise?
From nothing comes nothing
Shadows habour no wisdom, nor do darkness

True wisdom lies in the light, in the real
And not very many behold the real

But then, for the neophytes,
what is the real?
Where lies it?
Since many take the shadows for the real

Very simple, first is the light;
Then the real;
At the bases comes the shadow.
Simply look beyond it

There lies the in-thing…