F-E-A-R, a whisper light, a breath,
So small a word, so close to silent death.
Just four brief letters, etched upon the air,
Yet why does it command a soul's despair?
It wraps its tendrils, unseen, cold, and deep,
While reason stumbles, and the brave hearts weep.
A sudden tremor, where courage used to be,
It takes control, and binds the will to flee.
It conjures shadows from the brightest day,
And paints the monster in a common way.
Its power isn't in its whispered name,
But in the ancient, universal flame
Of self-preservation, twisted, turned astray,
From watchful instinct to a dark dismay.
It taps the unknown, the vulnerable part,
And drills an echo deep within the heart.
It is the 'what if', whispered in the night,
The 'what might be', that drains away the light.
The phantom limb of futures left unspun,
A battle lost before it's well begun.
It feeds on silence, doubt, and things untold,
A chilling story, centuries old.
Why does this brevity command the soul?
Why does this tremor make us lose control?
Perhaps its strength lies in our turning back,
In fearing to confront the coming track.
For in its face, if we but choose to stand,
We find it's merely dust within the hand—
A fragile construct, built of our own dread,
Unrealized until the word is dead.
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Author:
Friendship (
Offline) - Published: November 28th, 2025 05:08
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 10
- Users favorite of this poem: Demar Desu, Paul Bell, Bella Shepard, Tristan Robert Lange
Offline)
Comments4
Fear, the primal alarm we all have to keep us safe.
Probably over heightened by social media and the guy on the high street with the placard, ''THE WORLD IS NIGH''
But with all the senses humans have, I would say fear is the one that will save your life.
A most wonderful description of fear and a deeper understanding of its underlying roots. Poetically put with good rhyme it unravels the knot and cause. It is the last part of the poem that gives it meaning and strength. In the confrontation, in looking under the bed and in the closet that there is no monster but the one in the mind and there is nothing to fear but fear itself. Loved it
Thank you, Sorenbarrett. I appreciate your thoughtful feedback on my poem. Upon reflection, I realize that your comments were spot on. As a child, I would often ask my parents to check for monsters in my closet and under my bed, which I found strangely captivating. The appeal of imaginary creatures is certainly an interesting phenomenon.
You are most welcome Friendship
Each line, each rhyme is perfection. You capture fear in all of its elements, perhaps the basis of life itself. WOW!
Thank you, Bella Shepard. I appreciate your thoughtful feedback on my poem. Yes, it's based on my life.❤️🌹
Friendship, this is powerful…the “dust within the hand” moment names what fear really is, and I’ve felt that same unraveling of illusion myself. You captured its shadow and its ending in one breath. Stunning! 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
Thank you, TristanRobert Lange. I value your visit and the time you took to read my poem. I try to capture the way it feels from inside myself.💕
You are welcome my friend. And, no doubt you do. That comes through, very much so!
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