From The Shadows Poem by Jim Yerman

FROM THE SHADOWS

I took my granddaughter, Ava, to watch the sunset
where the ocean meets the land
And I remember being mesmerized by our shadows on the sand.

At first our shadows walked beside us…two shadows blending into one
but they separated and walked behind us as we turned our faces to the sun.

And as we watched the sun drift slowly down and a cool breeze chilled our skin
I had to smile at our shadows snow standing tall and thin.

When the sun was finally tucked in marking the end of another day
I turned around and noticed how our shadows had faded away.

And it got me thinking about shadows..of how the dark and light interchange
of how tentative is our existence and how quickly life can change

And I wondered where do shadows go?
Do they too need their sleep at night
if they are going to have the energy to join us at first light.

And how a shadow is like a good friend who will walk with us…
yet we're aware
even the times we cannot see them we know that they are there.

And I thought how grandparents are kind of like a shadow
with each granddaughter and grandson
and how we will always be behind them
when they turn their faces to the sun.

How we will always walk beside them
with our support, our love and care
and even when they cannot see us they will know that we are there.

And that they should never worry
if they happen to be mired in the night…
for whenever they need our shadow…
we will gladly bring the light.