Just a Shadow

 Just a Shadow

Clouds shroud the peak
of the mountain.
Trees stand strong,
though covered with rime
from freezing drizzle
just a day ago.
A breathy wind stirs,
bits of blue peek through,
trees become aglow.
I lull,
breathe with the wind,
shift with the clouds,
scan the valley below.
A stark shadow
creeps just below a ridge line,
dismal against the white.
A deep, heavy dark
that seems to obscure
 such brilliant beauty.
But, it’s just a shadow.
 Dynamic clouds
disperse under the warmth
of everlasting Light.
The truth is in
 the splendor.
                The gloom 
                                crawls 
                                        slowly
                                                    away.

Sarah Carlson
March 24, 2026