Shadow Lover (2007)
by Jesse Young 

(Verse 1)
There’s a tremor in my voice,
A quivering of lips,
Buckling of the knees.
Nonchalantly trading quips,
Belies a hidden tryst
I try to steal a glance,
furtively, to advance
dare I take the chance?
I wondered as we danced.

(Chorus)
And all the lights swirled around the place,
The heady afterglow and bitter aftertaste.
Cascading shadows obscuring my face,
I’m forever the shadow lover
I see through all your pretensions
and I’m not your man at all.

(Verse 2)
Sweet nothings from a lover
signed, sealed and delivered
But I am just another
Clandestine hush hush cover
“Could you ever understand me?”
I tersely replied
Stifling the tears,
Once reserved inside,
I peered at the mirror,
To find you looking back,
To a blank spot on the wall,
but for a phantom outline,
woefully faint and small.

(Chorus)
And all the lights swirled around the place,
The heady afterglow and bitter aftertaste.
Cascading shadows obscuring my face,
I’m forever the shadow lover
I see through all your pretensions
and I’m not your man at all.

(Bridge)
Oh no, no no no
You never ever see
But you happily venture,
To feign affection.
Yet you depend on,
Meee-eeee
I’ve got my place,
I’m forever your shadow lover
I see through it all,
Your pitiful,
I’m not your man at all.

(Verse 3)
Winking once,
As you poked my arm.
I smiled back,
Though, I confess,
You’ll never know,
The heartrending harm,
Your playful poke,
Was made to evoke.
I averted my gaze,
And sunk, into the void
The shadow world,
But you never noticed,
You never notice.

(Chorus x 2)
And all the lights swirled around the place,
The heady afterglow and bitter aftertaste.
Cascading shadows obscuring my face,
I’m forever the shadow lover
I see through all your pretensions
and I’m not your man at all.

Your pitiful,
I’m not your man at all.

I’m pitiful,
I was never your man at all.