Night Terrors

Panic attacks.

Away from tranquil strolls in the park,

far from the comfort of a front porch glider,

it arrives, an unwelcome visitor

long after the sun has set,

when the moon is a western crescent,

when Orion looks down from a winter sky.

This is the opportune time for panic,

a time for synchronized attacking,

a time which is my dark night of the soul.

Cold wraps around the heart like a shroud,

blood becomes an icy rivulet

flowing only to incite shivering.

It comprehends only its own selfish instincts,

nips with keen mandibles at three AM.

A ticking clock shatters 

the silence like broken glass,

and cold, white plaster

closes in as if summoned by forces

from some other-worldly sarcophagus.

And so I lie awake shrouded and wind-latticed,

swelled with fluttering, suddenly nameless.

In this parody of life,

talons fasten 

to flesh and bone

as discipline pleads yet is ignored.

Reviews

[Relic]

You captured the terror with all its grief and torment. I don't have them very often and I'm glad. Great writing.

[SleeplessVolcano]

This is a chilling poem, expressing powerfully the anguish we encounter in the darkness of night.

Your phrase "Dark night of the soul" reminds me of the poem, of the same name, by St John of the Cross, which also elludes to the darkness we try to conquer in our soul.

Darkness within, or darkness without, it remains a bone-chilling experience.

Thank you for sharing this.

[Briana O'Connor]

Yikes! The horrors of the night! A a very vivid and creepy, but fantastic piece. Thank you for sharing and keep up the good work.

[John Anderson]

wonderfully written...a fine poem!

[Alfred Kukitz]

Visceral! Nice work and congratulation on a sweet victory.

[N.Sevilla]

Beautiful poem. I love the imagery you use.

[Jeremy Baker]

Very fluid and gripping work. I enjoyed this immensely. Congratulations on winning first place!

[Persona]

Very beautiful and haunting. I love this and think it sounds both professional and intelligent. Constellations are always a nice touch to a poetic piece. Lines like 'cold wraps around the heart like a shroud' was perfect. Your voice, the rhythm, it's all spot on. You speak beautifully and at the same time ground the piece with simple lines so that we don't lose the essence of the poem's story - 'This is an opportune time for panic.' A lot of poems can sometimes sound lovely, but without these straight forward lines the reader asks, what is this about? Yet, you cover both your idea and express it wonderfully. Your execution of the poem is miles above the rest. You inject a good vocabulary, but don't do it excessively.

[Raven M.]

This really does capture the theme of a nightmare. Being completely helpless while suffering those terrors alone. I can feel the sort of urgency and panic portrayed whilst reading. Very well done.