nightmares plague you
the demons they fill you with fear.
your tears soak the bedsheets
and your sadness wrought by terror.
you fell in love with your fear
and couldn't leave it behind you,
you couldn't bear to let yourself go
and let your shadow stay
where it belongs.
you shoved the light in your closet
and stared at it as if it were
the only monster in your room.
you threw up your dreams
like a stomach sickness
and flushed them away.
you grew nightshade in your garden
and ate them off the stems,
and called it delicious.
you took a knife and cut off your ears
thinking you were safer that way.
at least you wouldn't be able
to hear yourself scream.