Eyes.
I always feared eyes.
Of course,
I've gotten over that fear
But a long long time ago
When I was but
A youngling
A child
A toddler
I feared eyes.
They were in my dreams
My nightmares
And I couldn't shake them.
They were the eyes of my family
My neighbours,
My teachers,
My friends
Even my mother's
Own hazel eyes
They scared me.
I was even afraid
To look into my own eyes
In the mirror
Or in pictures
So I never bothered to
But I was always told
They were a bright green
Like my granddad's
I never knew
Not until middle school
When I finally got over that fear
I remember I started
To look into the eyes
Of my first real crush.
They were a deep ocean blue
That was when I started to look into eyes
And truly saw their
Deep depths
It was a whole new world
I was amazed.
My eleven-year-old self
Finally got over her own fear
One she didn't know she had.
I got along better with people
Made more friends
Saw who they truly were
By their eyes.
Made connections,
Followed where others' eyes had led.
I slowly became more
Aware of things
I saw more than just a person's face
A person's body
I sort of saw
Into their very soul.


But now,
I have a new
Sort of fear
Of others seeing my eyes.
I try to hide them
Usually by my hair
Or by reflective sunglasses.
No one knows
I feel this way
Because I don't want others to see
What I look for
I don't want others to see
Into my deep depths
And to see
Into my very soul
Because it's far too dark in there
I'm afraid they'll leave me.
The fear's not for everyone,
But it is for a lot of people
I fear for them to see
I don't know why
Don't ask me
I just do.
I just don't want others
To see into my dark soul.


I just realized
You all just saw into my soul.
I don't even know you.






*****.