The Shadow

The Shadow

Once upon the day setting, while I sat, in thought and writing
many a long and descriptive word,
As I wrote, rapidly rhyming, at once there came a sound,
as if one were trying to tell me, tell me by my window pane.
"'Tis by my dreams," I thought, "that someone speaks by my window.
Only that, and nothing else."

I could quite easily describe to you the day
when the children did play.
Greatly do I wish to forget- gravely did I try to set
from my mind that bet- bet I for revenge against she,
she who the demons did send to me:
Nothing to anyone else but me.

The quickened quiet, but noticeable, whisper of the glass
startled me- shook me with a fear unexplainable,
so that I now, along with the hearth fire crackle, prayed:
"'Tis but by my dreams that someone speaks by my window,
some strange illusion that has someone speaking by my window!
Let it be only that- and nothing else!"

And by each moment did I grow more afraid, shaking more all the longer
that there I did sit. Now truly was I somber
of the sound of soft speaking, that my breath was barely breathing-
and great was my fear. Here did I move close to the pane,
and saw the outline of a self:
only that and nothing else.

For a long time did I stand frozen, full of horror, in such a pose
of "who could it be, being sat by the window pane?"
But the silence was broken, that one word spoken: "she?"
And I, in terror, whispered back: "she."
Such was that and nothing else.

Then I, unable to take anymore, flung open the window door,
and was there a shadow like the stories of old,
not to do anything odd- or untold- but whisper:
"She and nothing else!"

Now I, feeling quite mad, when such spoke,
screamed loudly with a voice broke:
"Leave me, you who comes by she!
She's not here, done by my hand!
Her blood spilt by me, understand?"
I said this, and nothing else.

And always after did that shadow stay,
guilting me with its faceless presence.
It would not go away, that shadow,
giving me a chill quite unpleasant.
It reminded me of she, who died in a fit of agony.
From that night on I thought
of that- and nothing else...