“Shadows” by Daniela Butkovic

A shadow may quite simply be

A product of the sun

But in the chaos our minds

We let them grow much darker

They twist into the worst of us

The things we wish we weren’t

And we shove them to the ground

So we can say they’re not inside us

But we accomplish nothing

They follow us like ghosts

Trailing us with every step

No hiding from our worst

Weak from desperation

We find solace in the shade

Let a greater darkness swallow it

So for a moment we can breathe

A temporary peace is gained

But only in forgetting

That obscuring it from view

Does nothing to destroy it

We live our lives with shadows

That we wish we didn’t have

We use up all our power

Struggling to not look down

Yet with all this forced forgetting

We miss one crucial fact

Shadows only form where light is

So why don’t we focus on that?

Daniela Butkovic is from central New Jersey and planning on majoring in Psychology. She loves all things creative and dabbles a little bit in everything from writing and art to dance and singing. She also loves books, video games, and hanging out with friends.