Phantasms

I once found myself believing,
With my thoughts inside, deceiving,
And my fears throughout were weaving
Underneath my waking mind.
There, my visions all were telling,
Yet no power was there quelling,
While my madness deep was swelling,
And no respite could I find.

There I found my terror haunting,
Overwhelming me, and daunting,
And it whispered, as if taunting
Me with echoes of my youth.
And the darkness, vacillating, 
Evil, black, and dominating,
Seemed to be intimidating
And withholding from the truth.

While I wandered in the mire,
There my senses seemed to tire.
But my spirit did transpire
Through the ancient, vile haze.
I knew not where I was going.
Time itself seemed to be slowing,
And my body was forgoing
All its normal, stable ways.

Then I saw a figure nearing,
Its eyes huge and red and searing,
And it seemed that it was leering
As it smiled through the gloom.
Not a single word was spoken.
My fear suddenly was woken,
And my mind at once was broken
As I floated to my doom.

I then sat up, loudly screaming,
Though I knew I had been dreaming.
Now I must find some redeeming.
I’ve been shaken to my core.
But that figure deep inside me,
Still resides there to deride me,
And the nightmares sent to guide me
Haunt my soul forevermore.