FEAR

Sweet sage offers herself to cleanse, to clear,
to repair our shattered home
but fear rambles in every room.

It makes beds of remembered conversations
twisted, wound through with lies.
It weaves sharp nests lined with broken vows.

Fear pulls me down and coils round me
tighter than a lover could do. It whispers
nothing will ever be enough.

My breath is so small mirrors cannot find me.

At 3AM fear demands to be fed.
Before sunrise fear wants cash
for earthquakes
for floods
for coups and revolutions
or just in case.

Fear drinks chocolate syrup and coughs loudly.
It litters. It shops. It worships illusion.
It eats potato chips and quotes soap operas.
Fear carries concealed weapons.

Fear prances before me on the freeway, it sings
I am so much prettier than prayers
I am prettier than salvation
I am pretty at the end or beginning
I am prettier than fantasy or hope
I am prettier than God
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