Today, I woke up shivering with cold
Left inside me was nothing but despair
My soul was robbed of all that’s strong and bold
Since I was visited by the most hideous nightmare
The next night I lay in bed, my eyes open wide
As Hypnos and I played hide and seek
I tried to evade him, but he wanted me for his bride
Suddenly, I felt something tap on my shoulder …
And a dark voice began to speak
‘Turn around, wretched soul, don’t hide your face!
Look me in the eyes, despair, then break down and cry!
You’ll never escape me, for I’ll always give chase
From now on and always till the day you die!’
And a nameless terror crept into my heart
Was it time to say goodbye?
I felt a growing chill deep in my bones
The night terror hissed in, oh, so many tones
Not one voice, but many! that came from its throat
I didn’t turn around, I daren’t turn around
For behind me, I felt a hiss before it finally smote
But before it struck, a sudden thought pervaded every corner of my feverish mind
Hey, turn around, don’t hide, look it in the eye, or are you blind?
‘No!’ I cried in anguish, ‘I am not blind
Neither am I deaf, nor mute nor any of the kind
It’s just this fear I sense deep in my heart
This terrible feeling that soon I will part.’
A deep sadness … unspeakable and buried beneath
My cheerful mask – like a sword in its sheath
Yes, I’m scared and confused and terrified at the thought
That my parting will be unnoticed … unfought
Who will weep for me? Who will miss the length of my hair?
Who will think of me once in a while? Who will care?
Oh, I know … yes, I know – it’s not my place to make a demand
And it just shows how lonely in this world I really stand
And finally, now do I understand: This nightmare of mine
Was nothing but a mirror of my own demons – fine!
So, no more running, no hiding
No fleeing, no crying
I turned around to face my worst nightmare
And was greeted by a creature uglier than I could bear
Still, I held my head high, frowning – defying the beast
I’d give it a fight, not caring, not afraid in the least
So there we were, staring at each other … what the deuce!
I wouldn’t back down, no! even if hell broke loose
This nightmare of mine must have seen my determination
I sensed it, I felt it … this hideous beast’s agitation
Suddenly my inner strength grew fast in direct proportion
To the features of my fiend that started showing distortion
Until, finally, it lost all countenance and expression
Till it was bare of power, of might, and of all aggression
And so …
The beast fell to its knees, disbanded, and faded away
Just like the dark shadows of a silly nightmare on a beautiful day
The End
🎃 🎃 🎃
Terrific poetry.
Thank you so much, hj 🙏… your comment made my day 🙂
Thank you so much, hj 🙏… your comment made my day 🙂
It’s a real pleasure – I find your poems beautifully written and wonderfully presented, so alive.
Thank you again, hj 💕 !
This is absolutely amazing. Really well written and perfect for the upcoming month of October.
Thank you very much, K 🙂