A corridor for living
With a shadow in the wing
My mind plans for dreaming
My shadow schemes a swing
A hearth prepares for true love
In the cabinets my shadow chills
Fires of passion and imagination
Duel at the table competing wills
Rejecting versus accepting
A scream for dreams to die
My hungry shadow debating
My efforts to say good bye
My contest grows stale daily
I'm tempted to disappear to timely naps
Forgetting then remembering the shadow battles
Creating reality collapse
Vile shadow vying my victories
Vindicated by your pain
Away Away... tiresome shadow
This is the end of your refrain!
Copyright ©2005 J. R. Hollyday
My confrontation with my Shadow... the Jungian phantom of every individual's life.
ReplyDelete"If the Ego is a photograph, the Shadow is its negative. Standing in direct opposition to the Ego, the Shadow is an autonomous complex, which holds opinions, expresses feelings, and generally wills an agenda radically different from the Ego's....
"...the Shadow results from childhood trauma...a distinct, conscious, willing entity. Unless reintegrated later in life, they forever seek to sabotage the Ego's plans and behaviors....
"If we can claim our Shadow's qualities, and learn from them, we defuse much of the interpersonal conflict we would otherwise encounter"
Very interesting. The psychological appraoch to the theme..nice work. Metaphors and imagery sharp. The subject and the meaning are insightful
ReplyDeleteThis is a common battle for many more people than you can possibly imagine. The secret to fighting the shadows and winning is to remember that the shadow is nothing
ReplyDeletemore than a creation of yours that can only exist when the light is shining on you. Thus, if you are standing in the light, the shadow is nothing more than a fleeting
image of your power to absorb the light.
The Ego says "I AM!" The shadow says, "I hope to be."
By the way, Atlas Shrugged,
The Fountainhead, and We the Living, are three of my favorite books.
Well written, complex poem. (All the "big" words were in Author's Comments). Lyle
excellent poem, well written and smart, peppered with great lines like, 'like notes played with hazard and no heart' very powerful and delicate. keep up the good work
ReplyDeleteInteresting comments about this poem. It made me appreciate the work even more. I had the wrong impression as I read it. Did you see that you work could have a dual application? You are an interesting talent; I look forward to reading more from you!
ReplyDeletethanks... i'd like to know your different perspectives.
ReplyDeleteA little psycology mixed with a little interpersonal sociology, and a great imagination to put it all together. Very well done.
ReplyDelete