they are infinite in number
from our most frightening childhood dreams
to terrible nightmares in our later years
born from guilt, disillusionment, trauma, shame
they glare at us all of a sudden
apropos nothing they flash into our minds
disrupt what little peace we may have found
in our busy lives
when they arise from their sealed chambers
undo the locks we put on them
to keep them quiet and remote
we have to face them
eye to dreadful eye
face to frightening face
then gradually
surprise
the closer our stare
the more we are aware
that all these faces share
what we find hard to recognize
they look
quite disconcertingly
like us
maybe we should
rather than banish them away
acknowledge them as what they are
the different facets of our selves
that we present to our world
from day to day
Nov 4, 2016
Nov 4, 2016 at 5:00 PM UTC
they are infinite in number
from our most frightening childhood dreams
to terrible nightmares in our later years
born from guilt, disillusionment, trauma, shame
they glare at us all of a sudden
apropos nothing they flash into our minds
disrupt what little peace we may have found
in our busy lives
when they arise from their sealed chambers
undo the locks we put on them
to keep them quiet and remote
we have to face them
eye to dreadful eye
face to frightening face
then gradually
surprise
the closer our stare
the more we are aware
that all these faces share
what we find hard to recognize
they look
quite disconcertingly
like us
maybe we should
rather than banish them away
acknowledge them as what they are
the different facets of our selves
that we present to our world
from day to day
Inspired by Joy Harjo's
http://hellopoetry.com/poem/1522992/fear-poem-or-i-give-you-back-by-joy-harjo/
