Fear thinks it’s got one up on me

as it scrabbles along the walls

of my mind

stopping now and then to

loom and roar

showing me its red cavernous mouth

as red as a thousand gaping wounds

as crimson as eyes that have ceased

to see the hope of a future

Yes, fear thinks it’s got one up on me

as it assumes I’m moved by what I see

as it fails to see crouching courage

and misses the heartbeat of bravery

© Vivian Zems

dVerse poets pub- Seeing Red