Young innocense running and laughing in thick patches of clovers. The small flowers spread
over the patches like white fluffs of popped corn. The grass was soft beneath my small, bare
feet. The weeping willow tree towered over me; it's long branches dancing in the wind holding
it's branches out toward me. The weeping willow was my castle in the clouds; a shelter that hid
me from the rest of the world. In this world only my true friends were able to find me. Each
night the small, green leather-skinned men with the toothless little grins would come and dance
around my feet. They sang in the night with melancholy voices. When it came time for me to lay
down in my bed, I would fall asleep to the songs of the frogs. As the darkness fell all around me,
he would appear. I came to call him "The Shadow Man".

Each night in my dreams he returned. A dark faceless man. His robe was dark, and hooded
He reached out for me, but I always ran. I spent each dark night running, too afraid to look
back. What did this man want? I was too afraid to ask. Each night he returned; somehow I
knew he always would.

The roars of the sea grow stronger. With each step taken I feel the water reaching out, and
pulling back again. The roaring rhythm of the sea begins to remind me of my first temptation
to join my "Shadow Man".

Temptation

The lonely, leering night is completely full of eyes
I hear the haunting rhythm which tempts me once again
Proceeding silently upon well worn tracks
The endless journey of that slow moving train

I hear the voice of the unknown, and yet it's failiar to me
From out of my world comes the six fingered hand
He whispers like honey, "I'm like no other man"
He proceeds from my world, and on three legs he stands

I see his raven, black eyes carefully contemplating me
His voice spoken deeply, intensely and methodically
"Don't be afraid to taste immorality with me"
His voice roars in my ears like the waves of the sea

I continue my journey on that slow moving train
For a night like tonight he may call out my name
To be lost in a moment of time with no reality
Tomorrow, I wonder will the ride be the same?

I began to hear his voice in the shadows everywhere, whispering faintly like the wind brushing
against my ears.
"I can take your pain away".
"I can end your fears".
"I will not allow another to walk away from you
Abandonment -- lamenting in your tears".
From out of the shadows his hand would appear. The dark faceless man, a soothing voice he
has. Should I really fear him? For he only offers me his hand, and a dark, silent sleep -- a
peace I have never known. To close my eyes just once with no guilt calling out my name. A
sympathetic stranger offering to take me back to a land of tomorrow. Everyday is just the same
and I don't even need a name . . .

The crash of the waves against the rocks catch my attention. The wind gently brushes against my
ears carrying the promise of his voice, "Joy . . . I am on my way". I can not remember the exact
moment the seduction began; but the details are branded in my mind, just as I have engraved the
memory to a bound page:

Soulmates

Suduction begins beneath sultry breath
The scent of her skin -- he can't resist
Blue-grey eyes like a summer storm
Challenging the darker ones

The darkness of death and rebirth too
A passion they shared could not be killed
Unforgotten memories led them here
Entwined in passion they both once knew

If separated by fates merciless ways
My search for you will never end
Leading us here to touch again
Beneath the glow of the pale moonlight

Is the "Shadow Man" someone from my past calling me back to where I belong? Or is he a
figment of my own imagination calling out to him in my time of need? My mind often becomes
tormented, and it becomes necessry for me to pick up my pen to allow the release of the images
in my mind. The more I write the more I wonder is the "Shadow Man" my friend or foe?

Shadowed Deceiver

Dark, faceless one -- stalking me from the shadows
My hungry soul cowers before the gift that you hold
As you entice me with the sound of my name
And the promise of release from my worldly pain
By claiming your offer of serenity

Resurging terror -- fighting for control
Ignoring the promises you endlessly bestow
Focusing harder on each loved one's face
Grasping at a horde of reasons too small to trace
By rejecting your offer of serenity

Reoccurring presence -- a contricting embrace
While provocative whispers silhouette your breath
I wade deeper into a sea of strength
And cleanse these thoughts tormenting me
Shoring up a fragile mind -- until the next time I face your offer of serenity . . .

Is the "Shadow Man" nothing more than a deceiver who tempts me with the sound of my own
name? He visits me in the seclusive nights with the full moon holding out promises of hope --
tempting me with my own writing. The fear that lived inside me has given up, as I become more
tempted to take hold of the "Shadow Man's" hand. I yearn for a freedom that only he
understands:

Inevitable

Fear has resigned and given up hope
As I become empowered by the faceless one
For my acceptance of the inevitable
Grants me the gift to understand
My eyes linger long on his out-stretched hand

I dance in the dying twilight
Safely encased in his protective hands
Words carrying daggers of poison
No longer hold the power to cause me to bleed
For I sleep in peace where the flowers feed

I was never good enough for society
Survival is the lesson life offered instead
A life and death battle that danced in my head
The lesson I learned . . .
I could only find freedom in the out-stretched hand

I have become more drawn to the sea, unable to resist the temptation to walk along it's edge.
Often, I walk alone in the moonlight. He always returns to me in the dark, full-mooned nights.
I awaken in the sand along the edge of the sea with only the visions he can share with me:

I feel my body slowly turning and falling and then cushioned as my body falls into the sea. A
dolphin swims up from beneath me, and I wrap my arms around his neck. The "Shadow Man"
stands before us holding out a large pearl. He motions with his hand to follow him.

He is leading us to a large city that is underneath the water. A wall encircles the whole city. We
pass through an oval shaped gate. Polished coral streets wind through the city. I release my
hold of the dolphin, and float down the road. The coral road is smooth against the bottom
of my bare feet. The "Shadow Man" leads me into the building. We step into a room and sit
down at an oval shaped table. He holds out the large pearl he was holding, placing it in my
hands, and then places his hand over mine.

A bright flash went through my mind; I see mountains covered with snow. Suddenly the
mountains are swollowed up by the ocean. The pearl lifts slowly out of my hands, and my body
begins to spin around and around very slowly. Darkness is all around us. The pearl begins to
rise appearing before us like a beautiful, full moon. Small delicate starfish begin to dance
around the pearl. The "Shadow Man" reaches out to take my hands, and another flash went
through my mind -- a blinding flash.

The ocean water crashed against the rocks. I could feel the light spray of the water dampen my
cheeks as the wind carried the droplets of water toward me. Am I awake, or am I dreaming? My
two worlds have become so interwined I no longer know which world is reality. I close my eyes
and it is so dark:

All around me are giant pearls. The "Shadow Man" appears before me -- holding out his hand.
The soft wind conforms my gown to my body. My hair dances in the gentle breeze. The
"Shadow Man" reaches out, and pushes a strand of my hair out of my eyes. He holds out his
hands. I am so tempted to reach out to take it.

I look over his shoulder and I see the most beautiful castle. There is a long walkway leading
toward the castle. It seems to be on top of the sea. As we reach the walkway I realize the
pathway is water -- crystal clear water. The "Shadow Man" steps onto the path and motions for
me to follow him. I take a few steps, and I look down. I can feel the water covering my feet; I
am slowly sinking. The "Shadow Man" takes hold of my hand, and motions not to look down.
He holds my hand a little tighter; I feel my body rising. We begin to walk toward the castle.

The doors of the castle open wide as we come toward them. The walls are clear like crystal, the
floor appears to be made of black onyx. The "Shadow Man" leads me into a room. It has the
same crystal clear walls. Through the walls I see what appears to be a soft sunset. Soft clouds
of pink, pale orange and blue are billowing up around the walls. Along the side of the wall are
large pearls arranged as a stairway leading up. I began to walk up the pearls. At the end of the
stairs is a large balcony overlooking the sea. I feel a presence behind me. I turn to see the
"Shadow Man". He is holding out to me a small black velvet bag. When I look into the bag I
see that it is full of small pearls. I take one out, and throw it into the sky. It begins to spin and
dance in the sky. I empty the whole bag into my hand and toss them into the sky. They all begin
to spin and dance all around us.

The "Shadow Man" pulls me into his arms, holding me close. We began to dance. It is difficult
to breath, and I can't catch my breath. The room begins to spin, and the pearls drop from the
sky.

I felt the water splash over my body. Am I dreaming? I hear the voice I had been
longing to hear. I turn to see the "Shadow Man" holding out his hand with his unspoken promise
I can no longer resist the temptation. I long to be with him, and in his world. I reach out and take
his hand.

A young couple walking hand in hand along the beach notices a body lying near the edge of
the sea. A woman with fire-colored hair, and stormy, grey-blue eyes. Lily of the Valleys
are intertwined in her hair, cascading around the curves of her face. Crystal slippers grace
her feet, and she wears a dress woven with the most delicate lace. Clutched tightly in her
hand was found a small, black velvet bag protecting an unusually large, lone glowing pearl.
Pressed into the sand beside her body a small bound book was found; the pages filled with
writing. The last entry reads:

Shadow Courting

She recieves her invitation on a promise spoken with no words
As a luminous pearl rises to rest against a black velvet sky
A symphony sails on whispers of the wind growing nigh
She prepares to dance in the arms of the shadow tonight

She steps into a gown of shear, spider-silk lace
Lily of the Valley cascades along the delicate curve of her face
Dew drops of crystal echo with each taken step
Her restless heart calmed with a deep taken breath

A pearl stands in splendor to rule the night court
Revealing the dark suitor silhouetting a darkened wall
His hand outstretched -- longing for intimate dances once reminisced
Bound together for all time in a night meant for seclusion

Nimble fingered spiders -- meticulouse masters at their art
Adeptly spinning veils masking the darkend room
Holding hostage the unsuspecting, flickering fireflies
Casting an alluring mood upon the twosome quite entwined

It is said that when the moon rises in all her splendor, you can hear a name whispered on the
wind. A woman with fire colored hair, and a dark man dance in a veil covered arbor along the
edge of the sea. Am I living in a dream, or is this my reality?

Property of Joy Elaine -- February 02, 2002

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