There is Light, and Darkness
Each day, two worlds collide. On distant horizons, unknown spirituous soldiers march forward, their lives consumed by the rising flames. Hardened steel swords strike flesh or shields. The sparks of battle shower the sky in light as the dragon’s cannons roar their flames of conquest. In the morning hours, light is victorious—those who have fallen, reincarnated. In the evening hours, darkness counterattacks. Endless battle since the beginning of time—there is no truce, no victor, only infinite war. The flags of their victories waved before fading in the breaking dawn and approaching darkness. Victory is transitory, only a few grains of time in the Book of Time. Each day in this millennium, there is light, and there is darkness. Sunrise brings welcome light, and sunset speaks of the coming darkness.
In some regions and through oral history, stories are told of those who are no longer with us, who rise at sunset to celebrate the freedom found in their reflections dancing on water. The Picks believed that their brethren, slain by the Romans—who had usurped their lands—rose in vengeance. Their faces painted blue for war, blue ghosts walked the night from sunset to sunrise, punishing Roman spirits throughout the valleys and hills. Romans who never returned home, abandoned in shallow, unmarked graves, desecrated the soil. They would find no rest, no peace—a fitting justice for their sins.
Ghost stories, vampires in the night, zombies, creatures under your bed... sounds in the darkness that haunt our thoughts. One shivers through the night waiting for the breaking of dawn. Throughout history, humanity has dealt with the fear of darkness - its unknown, unseen presence, often only revealed as a whisper or the breath of creeping coldness. Children hide under their beds as monsters rule their nights, and parents shoulder comfort. Those walking the streets at night shudder as they pass dark alleys with shadows where unknowns huddle and stare. We leave the perceived safety of lighted spaces to venture into the night...to bathe ourselves, free of light’s restrictions, carrying a weighted mask to be who we really are or not. The contrast between Jekyll and Hyde played out... in the waiting mysteries of a bottle or something else. The constant battle of all time... the goodness of light and the fear of darkness. Risks taken... Fools shout defiantly into the darkness... I was young once, as the shadows of night stir.
I wrote a poem about the night and our relationship with it some time ago. It was called the Streets of the Night. Below is an excerpt...
The mirror of our night
Reflect on all the words of our time
Our sunglasses shield us
As the stars fight to peer inside
Few gather at their watering holes
Telling stories that should not be told
We wander aimlessly
The streets of the night
Needing shelter from the coming storm
Yet the night or darkness has its beauty. The night sky twinkles and winks ... a shadowy moon emerges from behind a fast-moving cloud, illuminating a path. Before us... the stillness of the night reflected on the waters before us... a mirror to your soul. There are predators in the night... that is their time... their life ... their purpose. There are predators in the light as well... some hidden, some not.
One could claim that one’s life is a journey on an endless winding spiral staircase. Step one is birth, followed by the steps that transform your future and lock your past. You begin with your steps controlled by others. These are days when events beyond your control determine each step, yet you must deal with the consequences. Later, each step hesitant or made with haste, with some confidence... winds calling out, influencing your choices. Life is but a series of choices followed by thoughts of joy, peace, regret, or happiness. Some steps lead to darkness; others lead to times of light. Impossible to get each step right. A staircase has steps that go up and down, not unlike the game Snakes and Ladders, and sometimes someone turns the light switch on and off. Then the next steps are in light or darkness.
One’s Steps
Eyes so young strain to realize
What lies before in the steps to come
A staircase rises to the heavens
Or falls to the depths of hell
Each step is a pressure point
In a life of many choices
What is done... cannot be untied
Happiness and opportunity may shine
Or regret that holds one in chains
At the end of my steps
One may envision going back in time
All my steps lay bare before me.
Judgement, they say... comes to all.
I have said many times that my life is a swirling sea of challenges... Many I chose, and some chose me. Others were a burden placed on me. Some I conquered with my flag marking my rise to that peak.... some lie dormant still lurking.... waiting... others will never see my flag... I have moved on. In my book, *The Lighthouse* (available now), I address themes of significant loss, atonement for past wrongs, life challenges, and deliverance from dark times. There can be growth and redemption from the chaos and mistakes of one’s past. Those who face difficulties in life may find their spirits blended with the colours of the next sunrise, conquering the roaring dragons of their time to find life and fulfilment once more. The waters of life are not always turbulent... a stillness comes when you are ready. Below is the introduction to The Lighthouse.
The Seas Before
Tonight, it continued unabated. A dark, daunting ritual of the past few months, lying alone in a bed tethered to a hidden room. The steady, hypnotic spin of my companion — this ceiling fan — marks the endless passage of my time. Its gentle breeze washes over, its buzz a metronome marking the music of its time. The fan’s long, thin, silver chain dangles, its links catching in the moonlight. Before me, its hypnotic sway meant to adjust the speed or, perhaps, to mesmerize me with its rhythmic tinkling. I’m wondering aloud, as I need to speak to someone, as my friends are a dry desert right now.
“If I pull it three times, each tug would be an attempt to erase my past errors. Two quick pulls and, hopefully, the memories of the past few months would leave like smoke, leaving behind only a hazy trace. Is that possible?”
My second book, scheduled for release in spring 2026, examines the interplay between light and darkness in this world. It tells the story of two witches who battle through centuries to maintain a balance between light and darkness, good and evil. Here... subject to endless editing is the first paragraph...
As the sunset brushed the sky with its vibrant hues, a man of a thousand years posed a profound riddle for humanity.
How does one escape the relentless cycle of mundane days?
This morning, as the day’s light finds me, I hid behind cheap sunglasses with bullseye bloodshot eyes, staring at the riddle taped haphazardly with yellowing plastic tape to my noisy refrigerator. Seeking some relief and less stale air, I ventured to sit on the worn, stained concrete steps that mark the entrance to this place. Their coolness and bleakness reflect my morning. I am a victim today ... of my grave decisions. Bored out of my skull yesterday, dazed and confused like always, I accepted an invitation. This weakness rose once more from the shallow depths inside me. Now I pay the price on the front steps of my apartment building, alone with my pain as my head spins. I need water or perhaps more hair of the dog.
To all, each new day brings the light of day and the darkness of night, showcasing both humanity’s cruelty and goodness. It is said that some things never change—history often feels like a continuous cycle, like a movie filled with flames and rippling peaceful ponds.
The Sun Always Shines
As I strolled on the beach one day
Caressed by a sunrise
My soul reached out
In welcome that day
Off to my right,
There was a great commotion
A dumpster fire of smoke and fire
Trying to usurp the sunrise
Hmmm... I spoke
Looks like just another day
More shit is coming down
To contend with each day
Life is too short
Sometimes, friends are too few.
Each day is a blessing
If I only approach it that way
Each sunrise is a start
Of a new day
The possibilities are endless
If I think the right way
One can consider the world a mess
Let it mess with my head
No, that is not a path I choose
A challenge to thrive in the lighted way
There is goodness all around
To open my eyes each morning
As the light’s magic flows inside
The peace of sunrise is my shadow
I walk in its footsteps, always beside
A hand holding tight to mine
Life is too short
Sometimes, friends are too few.
Each day is a blessing
If I only approach it that way
Each sunrise is a start
Of a new day
The possibilities are endless
If I think the right way
If I feel the right way
When my last sunset comes
I walk to find joy in its bright light
My spirit is free
To walk forever in the light
Tom D. Welsh
Copyright 2025. All rights reserved.
