In Edward Shanks’s “Shadows,” a speaker invites his beloved to join him beneath a huge oak tree at night. The darkness there feels welcoming, not frightening; it hides the hedges and the two lovers from sight. He longs for them to become like invisible ghosts, able to kiss and caress without being seen. The mood is quiet, dreamy, and intensely private. As the poem moves forward, the outside world fades—sound is put to sleep and vision is softened—until only the sense of touch remains. That makes their closeness feel even more vivid and thrilling: they cannot see each other, but every kiss and embrace becomes keener. It is a tenderly sensual poem about finding deeper intimacy by escaping the visible world together.
Shadows — Summary
Under the leaves of that tremendous oak, Where the low stars lie tangled, there is shade Delusive and the leafy hedges fade Into the darkness like a curling smoke. O in the shadow there, Come with me, love, there let us two repair To mingle with the darkness and be lost, As somewhere viewless ghost with viewless ghost May meet, caress and shiver with sweet pain, Invisibly enamoured. So may we Lie in each other's arms invisibly And touch and see not, kiss and kiss again With lips obscure, That find their way as ardent and as sure In darkness as in day. Come ! there the softly moving shadows play And wrap all vision up for dim delight, And soothe the straining eyes with oil of night,
That charms the senses, sends all sound to sleep And knows for its anointed how to keep A magic darkness, an enchanted hush, Close in the shade of the uncertain bush. Still the low stars shall waver overhead And low clouds hang upon the mighty tree, A softer darkness on our love to shed, Where we embrace and kiss invisibly But tangibly, And keener still, all senses being gone, Save only one bright sense — save touch alone.