Shadow Work

I’m scared of my shadow He cries and reaches for me Decades of Sunday School Prepared me well enough For a story to tell on the spot I default to a savior narrative Pitting lions against the shade In hopes he’ll cling to a stuffed animal Instead of me He’s never fallen for heroes though Just his mama and all her disappointment Banished to a desert with milky tits And a child with unquenchable thirst Is Eve’s punishment for choosing life All mothers are doomed In a world ruled by Men Let’s make our shadows laugh I try again with comedy He smiles and motors his lips As I turn my hands into dogs Someone told me once The formula for fear and funny is the same Which I guess explains Q? And why I laughed at white hoods In the Capitol on TikTok But when the lights turn off The Nothing fills every angle and curve And I’m held hostage in The singularity I just need to water the garden Before it’s too late Said Eve in a megadrought My milk is drying up One last try Connecting to my own shadow The truth Befriend it No one will come save you But you’ll be free Maybe if Eve had spent less time Producing milk and honey for Him And more time singing lullabies to herself Things would’ve turned out differently For all of us He falls asleep in the dark Listening to Moonlight Hands wrapped around my neck