A re-write of a poem by John O’Donohue
When we are confined,
Within the house of shadow,
Our fears run rampant.
A dog, a wolf.
A corn snake, a python.
A hand… a killer.
The darkness enhances our fear:
It is natural,
But unknown.
The gloom of the dark forest within our brain,
Animals of shadow phase through existence,
The shadows twist all.
Within the blinding darkness,
Our true fears lie,
Amplified tenfold by us.
The brain is the root,
Synapses firing off like gunfire,
The mind is our dark playground.
All thoughts polluted,
A spill of toxic dreams,
Corrupt our conscious mind.
A shaky mind,
Made unstable by thoughts of heresy and fear,
Spiraling out of control.

Darkness confines us mentally,
Forcing thoughts of petty things,
Darkness is denial.
Within this house of shadow,
Our fear is reality,
A mirror of our world.
Within this house of shadow,
The opposites exist,
A mirror of our subconscious.
Within this house of shadow,
Revelations occur:
As often as there is darkness.
Within this house of shadow,
We discover our true selves,
Despite the cost,
We know, we know, we know,
We know it’s worth it.