In the poem Shadow of Myself, a woman in an abusive relationship describes how she tried to stay in the relationship by forgetting who she really was. In addition, the poetry collection Shadow of Myself can inspire and assist readers to recognize their worth and enable them to quit any violent relationships. We all have a shadow self. It is generally made up of the parts of ourselves we deem unacceptable. For many people this means things like our sadness, rage, laziness, and cruelty. But you might also see as uncivilised and unacceptable things like your personal power, your independence, or your emotional sensitivity.