The sun, always rising.The sun, always setting.

Thick forest and even thicker fogbarely visible in this dense darkness.Wind passes with a whisper,bitterly biting at my appendages.Air exits my body in stutters,half-seen and fading fast.

A growing glow catches the edge of a dying breath.My eyes dance, searching for the source of illumination.

A smile radiates from the highest branch.

Optimism shines from your teeth:the fingers of clasped handspraying for the weak.

The sun – always rising –lets its waking eyes view mefrom a distance.

The chill of the airtells the world whatmy lungs are thinking.

The extended arm of my shadowwaves good morning to me.

He’s stretching,reaching.Not out of desperation,but hope.

Dawn light breaksits promiseto leave us be.

It comes in slotsthrough blinded windows.The shadow of morningdewdrops fallingfrom pine needleslingers on your skin.Your sleeping breathbreaks what would be silence.

Even the birds knownot to disturb us. I lose myself inwhat feels like days.Your warmth exhaleson the back of my neck,and I know nowthat you’ve awakened.

I turn to see the lightslotted on your face,this time through fingers.Everything is perfectexcept the day.

I hear the gutter beneath my feetflowing with new life bestowedto snow by the approaching sun.

From the trees that surround me,birds sing out in welcome,sensing its presence.

My shadow’s posturebecomes far less pronouncedat its impending presence.

No room for shadowsin this place we share.Light from outside –light you radiate –too much for darkness.

Safe, free, peaceful:accurate but inadequatesynonymsfor this moment.These moments.

I feel the darknessleave us beas you chase awaythe worst of me.

A smile grows on your face whenI point out crumbs you’vespilled on the mattress.

I can’t help but feel at home.

This is the way home.

This is home.

The sun’s facedirectly above me,forcing sweatdown my cheek.My shadowhides betweenmy soles andcold concrete.

Nowhere to hide in this placewe’ve destroyed.Not from the lightof cold, hard reality,or from your severing words.

Unable to swayyour path of change.Powerless to fight back.Incapable of feeling eventhe most basic of hate.

You shined awaythe best parts of me,the dark parts, and left mea shadow-less, defenseless shell.

Your face hides a smilewhen you brush me awaylike crumbs from a mattress.

No place feels like home.

The subtle, underwhelming scent –frozen ground transforming to mud –travels into my nostrilsas the sun begins to disappear.

The starch leaves grow soggyBeneath my feet as it departs.

My shadow also reacts.He’s no longer hiding,yet not standing tall.

The taste of goodbyeslinger on my tonguefor a moment.

The sun – always setting –lets its final bowenvelope the surviving horizon.

The extended arm of my shadowwaves goodbye to me.

He’s grasping,clinging.Not for tomorrow,but for yesterday.

Early morning hazefloods this empty streetas I welcome the day.(poor choice of words)I accept the day. I lose myselfjust for a moment.I feel cold concretesteps beneath my soles,and I can’t helpbut think of you.

You who left. Mewho is left.

The sun breachesthe horizon. Stillthe moon lingersin the midst of dawn,uncertain whethercoming or going.You againenter my mind.You who is lyingin your bed,but not to me.

Sweet harmony and even sweeter rhythmbarely audible beneath this soothing melody.Time passes with a warmth,settling subtly in your soft limbs.Sighs leave my lungs in relief,half-noticed as weight fills my eyelids.

A sharp spark catches the corner of my closing eye.My dying breath searches desperately for its point of origin.

A smile permeates from the deepest wound.

False promises fall from your teeth:sharks circling the wreckage of a sinking ship,preying on the weak.