The Shadow Puppet Poem by Rachael Swiss

I feel your fingers in me and they move me
In and out and up and down
Riding the waves of ecstasy
And then you are gone.

Months go by and I am alone.
Your hands don’t hold mine
Fingers intertwined
My bed is vacuous without you.

More months go by and I am still alone
The sun hits its zenith in the sky
And the shadow you recalled
The impetuous little ghost of a shell who was I
Disappears underneath the soles of your shoes
Your heels crushing me with every step
As you walk farther and farther away with time.

Manipulate me as you had
How my body was able to dance on those fingers!
The weight of the world
Your weight
And the world on your shoulders
My Atlas
I am sorry to be your burden
Yet another in the long chain you have been forced to carry.

But where is my threshold?
Where is my happy home?
Do not forget me and the life you want to build
Do not begrudge me for missing you so
Do not belittle me for loving you
As I so do.

I will wait for you.
Be sure of that.
I have waited many moons so far
I can wait more if I must
And my shadow has stood tall
But do not allow me to shrink nor falter

On these weak knees I propose:
Do not forget me.