Darkness

in the darkness gloaming, the air stands still;
night holds its breath, as through it passes death; silently it pads
softer than a whisper in the darkness gloaming, far outside the city;
the darkest shadow wanders, its hunger it ponders; the gnawing drives it on
to unknown quarry in the darkness gloaming, the shadow takes down prey;
bones and flesh it rends, life it quickly ends; hunger fills it still
unsatiatied it hunts on in the darkness gloaming, the shadow steals a man;
spirit it crushes and breaks, hope it smothers and takes; the shadow licks its lips
continuing its hunt in the darkness gloaming, the shadow takes a child;
innocence, it twists and bends, darkness, it plants and tends; the child grows in power
and the darkness with it in the darkness gloaming, the shadow is quite full;
beside it sits another, one who gladly calls it mother.