Fear Of Darkness Poem by John A'Hern

My fear of darkness lives within me
It visits often and always frightens
The visits started during childhood
I dealt with them as best I could
The home I lived in mostly candle power
Shadows on walls my imagination running riot
Into bed pulled covers over my head
Safe and sound except for night time sounds
Darkness called its friend the wind
Rattles and scraping sounds to astound
I held on tight until sleep freed me
Now an adult darkness stalks nightly
Always feelings of someone behind me
No more covers over my head
I lay and imagine all kinds of dread
The trigger for this fear of darkness
Is in my imagination since a child
I try so hard, but darkness defeats me
I return to childhood night time memories.