I run away from my shadow
It follows me menacingly everywhere
Even when the sun is high up overhead
And this black swatch, temporarily invisible
I can still feel it weighing down my shoulders
Like a crow
It flies around me in a bluish-black shade
Opaque and indistinguishable.
I try to ask around if there are any takers
For my inseparable shadow
Those who hear think me crazy
But some agree
Even in changing rooms
The shadow doesn’t leave them be.
At times when I am lonely
I try to strike up a conversation
With it
But then when I need a sane chat
It continues to stay mute.
I constantly feel
Its eyes on me
This black silhouette that is me
And while in this world I can still
Manoeuver
It’s my own partial darkness
I am most afraid of.
For it threatens to push me into
the abyss
A hole where all the shadows become human,
And humans their shadow.
Shefali Nautiyal believes in the magic of words. She believes in stories, fairy tales, poetry, and uses these mediums to constantly escape from the real world. Her first book, an anthology of poems titled ‘Unwoven‘ was released in June this year. Her second book, a verse novel titled ‘Gathering Dreams at Dusk’ has just been released this month.
Featured image: Martino Pietropoli / Unsplash