"Shadow Self"

I was looking everywhere

Yet your shadow was nowhere to be found

I was looking everywhere

Yet I only came across a hollow sound

You looked over me, carried me gently

I looked at the framed picture, silently

Realizing that your face had already faded

I was looking everywhere,

For the realization,

The realization that never came across my mind,

You've told me - please don't hide

Don't hide under your mistakes,

It will not help to reduce the ache,

The ache that is blossoming from inside

Leaving you only a shadow self

I was looking everywhere,

You showed up and took the ache,

Took mistake by mistake –

And let me breathe

I've stopped looking

I've stopped looking at my shadow self

You were there all along

Telling me to keep on going on,

You have let me breathe

I inhaled your lilac scent

Slowly comprehending what you've meant

That there's no right or wrong

There's only the inhaled scent that

redeemed my wounds full of shame