Lament of the Shadowed Heart

In the depths of a heart where shadows dwell,
Lies a story of fear and pain to tell.
A fortress once bright, now dimmed by years,
Its walls inscribed with silent tears.

The people I let in, with steps unsure,
Left their marks, their presence obscure.
Each footprint a stain, each memory a scar,
A tapestry of hurt, a singular memoir.

Losing love, a bitter, relentless ache,
A tempest of sorrow, a soul's earthquake.
Yet, in this abyss where light seldom parts,
A glimmer of hope ignites in the dark.

For though memories can wield a painful might,
They are treasures, precious and bright.
Each one a lesson, a moment's lease,
A fragment of time, a piece of peace.

So here in the dark, where my heart resides,
Amidst the fear, a small light abides.
A beacon of what was, what could be again,
A promise that love, in some form, remains.