Original

Reminiscing Shadows
Reminiscing shadows. I need thought before I stride,
Where did I falter? I pine. In sleepless nights, I cried.
I ponder. To mend will take time. Mistakes—
like shadows cling, history, shadows in our wake.

Once loathed. Memories are songs errors sing,
chances we forsake. Fresh beginnings we embrace—Imperfect choices. Mistakes I may fully regret,
Let the past erase. I lament.

I get what I get. One more misstep.
To ponder ere I act, I question where I stray.
My path, I dissect. I need more time.
This takes longer than a day.

Mistakes, shadows, closely trace.
Once despised, now lessons sown,
In the nights silence. They’ve shaped me,
Gentle grace. I’ve found wisdom unknown.

A history with shadows near, In sleepless hours.
One more—the tally’s met. Moments held dear.
A lifelong debt. Loyal Shadows. before I engage.
I question—am I flawed? I ponder, seeking sage,

One misjudgment. Mend me, dear Lord.
Mistakes, haunt my every turn,
Wisdom in disguise, to contemplate, like gold to burn. We learn, become truly wise.

With darkness intertwined, In shadows deep,
A clean slate we embrace. The faults of humankind.
Seeking wisdom’s grace. In restless nights,
I know too well. Pondering where I’ve been,

I rarely tell. Mistakes like shadows.
To make the head spin. Choices good and bad,
a chance to renew, despite missteps,
None are perfect. it’s not so sad.

To our God, be true.
choices good and bad,
Imperfect choices.
Let me think this through.

Then I tried a minimalized version

Reminiscing Shadows.

Reminiscing shadows.
I need thought before I stride,
Where did I falter? I pine,
In sleepless nights, I cried.
I ponder.
To mend will take time.
Mistakes—like shadows cling,
history, shadows in our wake,
Once loathed.
Memories are songs errors sing,
chances we forsake.
Fresh beginnings we embrace,
Imperfect choices.
Mistakes I may fully regret,
let the past erase.
I lament, I get what I get.
One more misstep.
To ponder ere I act,
I question where I stray,
my path I dissect.
I need more time.
This takes longer than a day.
Mistakes, shadows, closely trace,
Once despised, now lessons sown,
In the nights silence.
They’ve shaped me, gentle grace.
I’ve found wisdom unknown.
A history with shadows near,
In sleepless hours.
One more—the tally’s met,
moments held dear.
a lifelong debt.
Loyal Shadows.
before I engage,
I question—am I flawed?
I ponder, seeking sage,
One misjudgment.
To mend dear Lord.
Mistakes, haunt my every turn,
wisdom in disguise,
to contemplate,
like gold to burn.
we learn, become truly wise,
with darkness intertwined,
In shadows deep,
a clean slate we embrace,
the faults of humankind.
seeking wisdom’s grace.
In restless nights
I know too well,
pondering where I’ve been,
I rarely tell.
Mistakes like shadows.
To make the head spin.
choices good and bad,
a chance to renew,
despite missteps,
None are perfect, it’s not so sad.
to our core, be true.
choices good and bad,
Imperfect choices,
Let me think this through.

(Each of these edits were over a year apart.)

Final?

Reminiscing Shadows

I need to think before I stride;
Where did I falter? I pine.
In sleepless nights, I cried;
I ponder—mending takes time.

Mistakes, like shadows, cling;
history leaves shadows in my wake.
Once loathed, memories are songs
that errors sing—
of chances I forsake.

Fresh beginnings I embrace,
though imperfect choices and mistakes
may be the ones I deeply regret.
Let time erase the past.
I lament; I get what I get.

One more misstep—
I must ponder ere I act.
I question where I stray;
my path I dissect.
I need more time;
this takes longer than a day.

Mistakes, like shadows, I closely trace—
along the steps I take.
Once despised, they are lessons sown
in the night’s embrace.

They have shaped me;
I’ve found a wisdom once unknown.

A history of shadows lie near—
returns in sleepless hours.
One more—the tally’s met.
Moments held dear
become a lifelong debt.
Loyal shadows follow me—
before I engage.
I question—am I flawed?
I ponder, seeking wiser ways.

One misjudgment—
mend me, dear Lord.
Mistakes haunt my every turn,
yet wisdom hides within them,
waiting to be contemplated,
like gold refined by fire.
We learn and become truly wise.

Though darkness intertwines
with shadows deep,
a clean slate we embrace
despite our faults,
seeking wisdom’s grace.
In restless nights,
I know too well
the places I have been.

I rarely tell.

Mistakes, like shadows,
make my head spin.
Choices—good and bad—
give me a chance to renew.
Despite my missteps,
none are perfect;
it is not so sad.

To my God, I will be true.
Choices—good and bad—
imperfect choices.
Let me think this through.