Shadows’ Continuum
by Odin Roark

Everyone tries.

After all, who avoids
Seeking their identity,
Even as the dilemma
Remains so elusive.

How amorphous this existence.

The phantasmal perpetuity of change,
Ignoring boundaries,
Both yours
And mine,
Seeking only to sustain
Time’s circuitous nature.

Rest stops abound.

One day the child.
Another as student.
Becoming graduate upstart,
Amorous lover,
Tomorrow’s domestic stat,
Weekend’s ne’er-do-well,
Monday’s hangover.

And today…

We look up and down the street.
Where have we gone?
What are we doing?
Who are we today?

For some…

Long journey’s end.
Arrival.
Open the door.
Peer into the room,
Empty of clutter.
A room of open space,
Where dust motes hold vigil,
Around a silhouette upon the wall.

Wait as we might,
Stare as we will,
The shadow defiantly
Embraces all four walls.

Limitless boundaries of infinite wonder
Surround us.
The me of you,
The you of one.
Identity’s annuli.
Shadows'continuum.