In the brightest light of day, it mingles with the others.

The shadow drifts along, an outline dim and faint

Seldom seen, blending in, and lurking under cover,

only a silhouette…impassively it waits.

Secretly, it watches, keeping silent vigil

Soft and vague, oft-ignored, but floating just behind

Its purpose, what it wants, a mystery and riddle.

A phantom thought, barely there, a shadow of the mind

.

But as the day recedes, giving way to dusky gloom,

the shade grows darker, no longer hard to find

Growing blacker, then larger, until it fairly looms

Until it’s all that’s seen; its presence magnified.

Grown grim and menacing, it merges with the night,

The source of fear, the well of dread, and origin of screams

The hours moving slowly now; it even throttles time

Invading thoughts, infecting minds, and permeating dreams

Only relenting with the coming of the light,

and slowly fading with the breaking of the dawn

Mercifully retreating, and fading out of sight

Tensions easing with the belief that its gone

But it’s there, it’s waiting, and night will come again

This shadow fades, but never ends; it cannot be defied

It will return, it will be back, until greeted as a friend.

It's eternal. It’s forever. It abides…