Fear 3 Poem by Prathibha Nandakumar

Grips and engulfs and drowns and
Breaks into sweat, scares you stiff.

The bill boards and T shirts and the
road side bags and hairclips and even
the old woman’s handkerchief scream
No fear. Yet
Fear is the key

He fears
And hence is.
My eyes and
Words

are scary
Like in the drowning
of the first born at a picnic
in the pond where lotus called him to pick.
Like in fallen feathers crash landing
on swollen egos of soap bubbles to
burst into thin air.

To fear her
who alone causes pain and pleasure together
was writ in his destiny
Having paid his dues

he now wishes to fear no more
hence has decided

to call it quits

and is afraid to tell.