Carrying Light, Holding Shadows

By Yutzil Virgen

--

I walk with both hands full–

one cradling a flame,

the other gripping darkness.

The fire burns,

a fragile warmth against the wind,

reminding me I am still alive.

The shadow pulls,

a heavy tether

to everything I've lost.

I am both the lantern

and the eclipse,

both the hope

and the wound.

To love me

is to hold both–

the light I offer,

the shadows I hide.

And still,

I keep walking

with both hands full.

---

Author Bio:

Yutzil Virgen is a student at EVC who writes poetry about emotions people often struggle to express such as love, grief, and feeling lost. Her work explores the process of facing difficult feelings while learning to grow and choose oneself. When she is not writing, she enjoys reading, listening to music, and appreciating the small moments that make life meaningful.