in terror of night the damp shades extolling bleak absence of light mired in blackest waters starving and sick tormented by shadows in the black swamp they fear death by their captor s hands traversing the shades of death blackened faces full of grief lost exiled no light shines through the forest canopy a thick fog veils their tortured cries drowning in the black of night as panthers descend upon their prey a tragic fate befell the souls who were traversing the shades of death