The Thought Of You Is My Shadow Poem by Landrey

as morning progresses it stays behind me
the deep and dark outline is full at high noon
even inside a building the pale white fluorescents
cast four sick-looking shapes and I’m thinking of you
and as the sun wanes my shadow grows long
for it’s true; I think of you, instride behind shadow
I linger in thought, the outline moves not
since as the night falls you melt into it
joining all darkness and shrouding my mind
you surround me until the dawn of day breaks
and a shrinking shadow is all that reminds
that you’re you and I’m me
and that we can’t be “we”
and “together” can’t be

next thing I know - winter solstice has come.
short days mean long nights
and I sleep with lights on
banning you to the corners and closets
to hide out behind my bookshelf and desk
and I dream that I live in a lightbulb

if only twas you not the thought
that trailed every move I make
with substance beyond the touch of a shadow
but finally living and with emotions for loving
within my touch and beyond two dimensions
you’re x-D with three plus even while sleeping
not surprised at our fiftieth I’m still finding facets
I hadn’t yet seen.

and though you age and though you fade
Alzheimer’s erases our love from our minds
i’ve conquered the dark and i’ve conquered my fear
i did it with you and because you, Love, were near.