Shadow Puppet Poem by Bryan Riley

I have given you everything:
you could say that I've
made you what you are today
I've built you up until now
I'm the simple one and you
are wearing all the colored
plumage of a peacock-
strutting about with my strength
which I lent you, and you
never gave it back

Now, you give me that look
of disdain whenever I dare
to mention my name and
say hey- remember me?
Well, remember this-
all that you've become is
all you wanted to be,
once upon a time

And where am I? Just a
shadow of myself left up
on the shelf to be taken
down whenever I'm needed
to perform tricks for
your amusement

Welcome to the puppet show
Tell me, what did you really
want from me, and have you
gotten it? Or is my soul
simply too hard to catch?