Fear Poem by Aaron Brown

Fear has strength. It grips,
squeezing away the breath of dreams,
crushing the faith of heroes down in
the depths of memory's heart.

Fear has teeth. It gnaws,
cracking apart the bones of reason,
sucking out sanity's marrow behind
the back of the mind's eye.

Fear has scales. It sneaks,
slithering through outgrown skins,
brushing that clenched darkness within
the pit of your stomach.

Yet endure, endure for

Hope has feathers. It flies,
winging on the crisp morning breeze,
carrying that single twig high above
the fear on the waters below.

And all floods recede,
and all floods recede.

(2005)