Just As Afraid of You

Have you ever hid in a corner while night ran barefoot down your hall.............

Have you ever hid in a corner
and imagined the night
ran barefoot
down your hall?

Perhaps it was as frightened
of the hours
and what would happen
before morning chose
to speak
as much as you.

Did you find that you were frozen
by the silence
yet still remained puzzled
in the knowledge
that a mere sound
should be the very thing
you fear the most?

Have you ever decided
not to check under your bed
then later wished you had so badly
because you could taste
fear's own breath?

Did it ever occur to you
what is under there
in the first place
may be just as afraid of you?

Author's Note

I was once afraid of the dark..............

Reviews

[lyssilou]

I like it! It gives as new meaning to the night and how eary and frightning it really can be. I love the way you use personification throught the poem.
"perhaps it was as frightened of the hours....."
I honestly do like it! Keep up the good writes Neva!

[Hayley]

"Have you ever decided
not to check under your bed
then later wished you had so badly
because you could taste
fear's own breath? "

Those last 2 lines seriously gave me the chills. For me, my fear is not of the dark, but by reading this I really got into the poem. Also, what is under there is surely just as afraid of me I think. A beast that has its own fear..

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

We have nothing to fear but fear itself was spoken for a reason... so much of the time it is all in our minds... you ask some very profound questions.

[BlackCl0ud]

*Giggles* I have to admit that I am still very frightened by things in the dark sometimes . . . I enjoyed how you ended the poem, just like "That bugs more afraid of you than you are of it" . . .

[brenda]

and i stil have fears but i guess i am the onhe scared and also it too great poem little kids and many people could relate to it :)

[Rediscovery]

I love the personification of the night in the poem. Genius! Again, I love the imagry in this like all of your poems.

[Joel M Frye]

One of the things I'm getting to appreciate more and more as I read your work, Neva, is how incredibly facile you are with whatever voice and framework you choose. Your last two I've read are a departure from many of your previous poems, not so much in style or imagery but in their directness of address. And yet, you lose none of the beauty of your wordplay with the change. This is a sign of a well-developed craft to carry the amazing artistic vision.

You might notice by the length of the review that I might like this one.

[LA Lorena]

A nice way to look at fear and the attempts to overcome it. I think we all have a fear of something at some point in our lives. Those that don't? Perhaps they have the fear of appearing foolish. ;)

[fargone]

this poem hits the nail well and truly on the head. oh those night-time fears leave a life lasting taste in the mouth. the logic of the final lines never quite convinces us. written as wonderfully as ever. :)

[Vanessa Rico]

This reminds me of when I was a little kid (I was scared of the dark too!). I often had to sleep with my night light! Your words have clearly brought this picture! Your work is amazing!

[Dream Weaver]

Some fears are conquered easily
while others seem to haunt
us forever. I loved the last stanza
nicely done!