Shade

Tell me,
why is it that you insist
on embracing sharp shadows?
They slice you open,
yank out red threads from your flesh.
They replace the crimson
with gray and black and dull, dull blue
Colors of a corpse, set underground to rot.
They pour cups of smoke into your mouth
and make you see false things,
make you dance with insanity.
They want to destroy you, these foul shades,
they want to yank your life away.
Push the shadows away,
shove them away
stay away
from their sharp embrace.