THE SHADOW

THE RAIN ON THE PAVEMENT

SHINES AS DIAMONDS IN THE SNOW
SOFT AS THE ROSES THAT GROW |

AND ONE BY ONE DROP THEIR PETALS.

WHITE LILY SHOULDERS

TOUCHED BY THE SHADOW

LOVE AND LOYALTY

KILLED BY THE SHADOW'S SOFT LIES.

TRUTH OR DECEPTION

WHITE UPON BLACK

HE CREPT INTO HER WORLD
THEN CREPT OUT OF SIGHT. |

PAIN FILLS HER TINY HEART
A VEIL UPON HER FACE

SILK WHITE SHEETS STAINED
BY THE BLOOD OF HER TEARS.

DARK DECEIVING EYES

A POOL OF DARKNESS

SHE STARED AT THE SHADOW
SHE STARED AT THE VOID.

LOVE WAS ALL SHE WANTED

THE SHADOW GAVE HER MORE

HE SHOWERED HER WITH CONFUSION
SHE DID NOT WANT THE RAIN.

THE SHADOW OVERPOWERED HER

SHE COULD NOT WALK AWAY

SHE TURNED ABOUT TO BRAVE HER FOE
KNOWING SHE MUST SEIZE THE MOMENT.

SHE. WALKED TOWARDS THE LIGHT
HOLDING HER HEAD UP HIGH

The Seagull
Ken Rensby

I’m growing apart
I think

a loose landscape

of association
adrift like
Seagulls

What brings a seagull inland
that tired flight
from the heavy scent
of vastness?

the distant grey murmer
_ of deeper rhythms
like the fluid beckoning
of insects against
a screen door

or the dense wet rush
of an ocean storm
arbitrary and obscene

Shafer

The motorcycle stopped
beside a lake
_arrested transit
the clock resuming
its metered march
a Martian quarry
train droning along
the opposite shore °
organic capsulate
filled with water
and weeds
filled with seagulls

He took his boots off
toes in the sun
he drank a Dr. Pepper
and read some Hemingway
thinking of talking
with the seagulls
circling
and the suggestion
made him laugh
he spoke into
a recorder
as he gathered his things
about him
and rode away

HE CRIED AND SCREAMED LIKE THE SIRENS OF HELL

FOREVER WOULD THE SHADOW BE LOST.

FOREVER WOULD HE BE CONDEMNED
TO WALK IN THE DARK

SHE NEVER EVER SAW HIS FACE
AND SHE KNEW SHE NEVER WOULD.

AND ALREADY THE SHADOW HAS FOUND .
A FLICKER OF LIGHT IN ANOTHER SOUL
NO REMORSE, NO REGRETS, NO PAIN -
FOR HE...-IS THE SHADOW.

Overhead the laughter
of seagulls
lingers
as they withdraw
to deadwood perches
and sun-slick rocks
+
there is
no sound