Your Shadow Poem by Tobbie WhiteBird Crowe

I've seen your shadow grow and fall
Here, there, far, wide and near.
Touching everything and everywhere
There's no where hidden to you.

I've heard the people speak of you,
In whispers, tears and hate.
I've seen them run away from you
Victims of their fears.

There is nowhere on this planet
Your presence doesn't fall.
No one on this earth
That doesn't know your call.

You are all that's universal,
Your very global too.
All living creature's everywhere
Know and run from you.

You cross over all the boundaries
Go to all different walks of life.
There's nowhere you can't reach
And no way to keep you out.

There is no way to even stop you,
No way to hinder you.
Wherever you have come to call
In your wake are tears and hurt.

But you don't really bring destruction,
You bring mostly release from pain.
An end to all the suffering
And blessed peace again.

You hold the endless quiet night
There deep within your hands.
The painless balm, the silent dawn
The soothing thoughtless sleep.

No one on earth escapes you.
All men fear you, large and small.
And in the end it does seem
That all must face your call.

But my brother death I tell you,
I can not fear your touch.
For I know thy reality and thy truth
The reason you exist.

For all the pain and heartache,
For all the peace and sleep.
Your time on earth has limits.
And soon you'll be released.

There is ugliness in your shadow
But there's also beauty too.
For He who created Heaven and hell,
He too created you.

(May 3,1988)