fear

Fear has many cruel faces
For some, it’s dark, and empty spaces
A filthy, run-down street at night
A tangled blur of city lights

Fear is scorching, uncomfortably hot
Darkened tunnels, and vacant lots
It reeks of heavy polluted air
Fear is black, red, and golden glare

The sound of shattered glass, like death
The taste of torpid, rancid breath
It burns like embers, black and charred
It feels like every door is barred

Fear will grip you like a knife in the dark
Taunt you, or mock you when you’ve run out of luck
It will strike without warning, without hesitation
And always from the least expected location

Fear is the reason we build fortifications
That hold our hearts in isolation…
That keep us from speaking when we need to confide.
There’s a reason we rarely let others inside