early in life she learned the difference
between sensation and love
accepting only desire was for her
she would be denied
the touch
that lights fires
burns
consumes
to admit such was not acceptable
she sought shadow-men
men who lived at the edge
of their worlds
lived in two worlds
who recognized her
for one of their kind
brought her into the dark
hinted at promises
she walked the edge with them
fell off
pretended in the happiness
of the shadows
they could touch all
but
the soul
to protect that she kept it too
in the shade
guarded against loss
in such darkness
once
in a fairy-tale
a shadow-man made the dark
seem daylight
