Shadows of the mind,
Beckon us follow,
Explore dungeons of the past
Avenues of lost dreams.
Rooms of what has been,
Vast recesses of our minds,
The shadow begs us explore.

This wondrous room?
Childhood memorabilia here,
Locked chest of nightmares and screams,
Family treasures and terrors,
Shelves of lost love and hope,
Adored, accepted and abandoned,
The shadow says remember my origins.

The next room a blur,
Lost years lost in sorrow,
Family unity lost in a tangle of metal,
Childhood abandoned,
Grown up too soon,
Tangled recesses of the mind,
The shadow says best left alone.

School years next,
Something to be good at,
Reports close to perfect,
Except in granny's eyes,
No wrong in his, no right in hers,
Love and abuse opposite poles,
Shadow says lessons learned from.

Young bride is the white room,
Lace and satin covered shell,
Person who should have been still lost,
Struggling to overcome,
One keeper for another,
Still a good person, good soul.
Eighteen years and babies,
Nothing to regret in this room.

Two wonderful children,
Today just as delightful adults,
Open, loving, giving,
Taught well?  Fate?  Karma?
How could two lost souls,
Manage such a feat?
The Shadow says enjoy.

Marriage number two good and bad,
Dreams, lust, love and addiction,
Battle fought, booze won,
Love does not conquer all,
Boxes filled with fights,
You wanted love you got it,
Was it worth the cost?
The shadow says leave this door closed.

One more try attempted,
A good man so I thought,
Wrong again, liar, cheat abuse,
Tried to make it work,
Nothing could be done,
Three strikes you are out,
Another door left closed.

But from each room,
A lesson learned twas needed,
Healing, learning, growing,
Karma fulfilled, future bright?
Soul's destiny still unknown,
Searching for that reason untold,
Why I survived so much.

Laura R
Sept 2002