Bright Insights

Rhymed couplet poem about nightmares, growing up, and nyctophobia

The cold darkness, inky and still,

Clouds my vision against my will.

No adult’s soft shoulder lies near

To hold my head and calm my fear.

Father had stood and scoldingly said

“You are bound to stay in that bed.”

He doubted me and wouldn’t hear

Of the cloaked figures that I fear.

“You’re age 5,” I heard him remark.

“You must learn to deal with the dark.”

A howling wind with sudden storm,

The lightning shows me ghostly form --

Thin, wispy ghouls of Satan’s mold

With eyes like chunks of glowing coal.

Nightly they rise to hover near,

But if they spoke I did not hear.

With sixth-sense now I know their game.

Bright insights set my mind aflame --

They never meant to cause me pain,

Just lacked permission to explain.

They tell me now we must confer,

Though their faces remain a blur.

They place options into my mind:

“Do I want earth, humanly blind?

“Or leave and choose another birth?

“Your choice �" you must decide the worth.

“The God wants you content, you see.

“Each night we stood guard over thee,

“Waiting for this moment sublime

“When you could grasp concept of time.

“This very choice will set your course.

“Take care so not to bring remorse.”

I bolt upright and say with glee:

“I will stay here. My dad loves me.”

“But if you could one last thing do,

“Bestow on him contentment too.”

 

Author's Note

Every child has to deal with learning the frontiers of reality and imagination. Each year of childhood brings new lessons, not the least of which involves facing your fears.

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

Your rhymed couplet poem tells of a child who has to learn to cope on his own with his night terrors. Who has to fight those demons and I can imagine how frightening that must have been for him, not to have the comfort of an adult's arms about him to soothe those fear away. This child had to learn the hard way and face those demons head on and conquer them. The final three lines, show great understanding and compassion on that child's part. A well written and enjoyable read. Thank you.

Chris

[bigfootprint]

Thanks so much for the flowers. Yes, there were no nightlights to pierce the darkness of my childhood nights. Even the caveman kept a fire going all night to keep out the dire wolves and cave bears, which are no more real than sparkling floaters and moaners lurking behind the cloak pf pitch black night to a child's mind. And who is to say? Maybe the mysterious entities of UFO legend do play hide and seek though time portals and walls at will for nefarious purposes. Of course, we learn to pray those away and go right to sleep.