The candle is present but faint and dim, whereas the shadow is present but bright and radiant.

This couplet presents a striking paradox: the candle, which is meant to be the source of light, is dim and hazy, while the shadow shines with brilliant radiance. Metaphorically, it speaks to how the tangible present can sometimes feel pale and distant, while the 'shadow'—the vivid memory or lingering trace of someone loved—glows with incredible warmth. It captures that poignant emotional space where an absence or a memory feels far more alive and luminous than reality itself.