The Shadow

by Tumi Shadows-Echo

A silhouette of a soldier.
A silhouette of a soldier.

Who is that shadow in my mind?

A gallant figure of another time;

Marching forward brave and bold,

Unprepared for the deathly cold.


Where does he go while I am at play,

It seems not very far away;

Around each corner I always find,

That haunting shadow in my mind.


For every breath of air we breathe,

Are complements of his brave deed;

He brushes my heart as raindrops fall,

But, he cannot feel the rain at all.


Who is that shadow in my mind?

A soldier we will never find;

He lost his battle, but ran the race,

To make our world a safer place.


He warns us all of the wars’ great cost,

And how in reality all sides lost;

Haunting us forever more,

Until there is an end to war.


Author's Note:

Out of the blue:
This poem came to me as I sat relaxing
and sipping tea one afternoon in the 1980s.
A poem of remembrance, loss and hope.

Heaven To Hell Instantly

by Tumi Shadows-Echo

A volcanic eruption on an island.
A volcanic eruption as sudden as the outbreak of war.

Serenity stretching beyond the far off shore,

Diamond eyes twinkling on the ebony canvas;

A gentle breath of life-giving air blowing over the land,

The shhhh of the leaves on the elegant elm trees;

A warm glow inside, that keeps growing peacefully,

Water lapping at the welcoming shore;

Crickets singing their serenade to the serene world.


Firelights piercing through the black, cold night,

Volcanic explosions spewing out charred remains;

Shrieking, crying, moaning in the charcoal craters,

Rat-tat-tat of the mechanical monsters;

Dark red carpet for as far as the eye can see,

Sirens shrilling calling "Get back in the hole!";

The stench of wasted opportunity in the dying world.


Author's Note:

Appeared in my Chemistry homework upon the
radio announcing a war erupting in the 1990s:

I returned to school in my 40s to learn to use a computer
and to refresh stale education. As the radio announcement
was made, I raised my head for a few moments.
Returning to my homework, I found I had written this poem.
It shares the reality of how fragile peace is, and how
shattering the sudden onset of war is for those touched by it.

In The Cold

by Tumi Shadows-Echo

Ice crystals in the winds like the coldness of war.
Ice crystals in the the air like the coldness war presses on humanity.

Frigid cold, warming the heart,

Seething quiet, amidst the storm;

Fleeting glimmer, flaming start,

Icicle stare, steely eyes the norm.


Crystal image, frosted grip,

Stronghold, captured in its flight;

Freezing in, a moment’s dip,

Feeling heat, one last good night.


Only yesterday, a smile shared,

A dream, once a heartbeat away;

Today is gone, wounds are bared,

No hope at all, we’ve lost the way.


Author's Note:

Hidden for over a year:
This poem was written, by me, over a year before
I discovered it stamped and dated within my poetry vault.
It reflects the coldness, the numbness, and
the ongoing frigid path that war leaves on all.
It is a universal coldness that cannot be erased once
it has touched the souls of every person affected by it.

Free To Respectfully Share

Educators, Historians, Peace Seekers, All Others - Including Personal Individuals or Groups

If these poems speak to you, feel free to share them in a respectful manner with others.

As Tumi Shadows-Echo's original poetry, she welcomes others to share the truths, while expressing their own views or experiences.

May the world find peace and humanity as it is meant to be.

Heartfelt gratitude and hope,

Tumi Shadows-Echo