Acquainted With Darkness Poem by Barry Middleton

I met the darkness as a child
it seemed to dwell among the trees
when night had fallen on the woods
to cast a chill upon the breeze

although I knew the gentle day
and guardians of innocence
the sunset brought an evil cloak
and banishment of this pretense

but as a man I often sought
a tangled wilderness of doubt
as if to finally conquer fear
to drive the dreadful demons out

so as the light at last is quenched
again I'll wander in the wild
at home again but free of dread
where still my heart remains a child