Damned If We Know, Damned If We Don’t

Shade needs a great deal of light,
Or it will lapse to mere gloom,
Night, and, with no light, closed cave.

When you hear a soul talk shade
In tones that sound close to lust,
Keep in mind how shade needs light.

What gloams and pales in fine greys,
Near hours that start and end it,
When the light from the sky leans

Like a drunk who longs to flirt
But is on the verge of sleep
Face first in the dirt, is bright.

We are more versed in the cave,
The home of the book, the guts
Of the tomb, of the closed boards,

The sort of spots you store us,
Shine your lights on us, and then
Leave us in the dark, as if

We had no need of your light,
Did not want to see our own,
As if you could stash our shades

Like cloaks piled up in the dark.
If you pack us too tight, like
All shade, we’ll die. We need light.