Apart from the pounding of my heart

like an arrhythmic tick-tick tock

Nothing is to be heard.

Nothing  is to be seen.

I fear that if I breathe,

I will forget how to think.

The darkness is a wall

that threatens me tooclose,

and too far.

where does it begin to end?

This shield of shade

is my protector and my captor

Fear paralyzes me.

Ignorance isn’t bliss

but the possible discovery

of nothing there

would guarantee my loneliness.

And so I remain

motionless.

I have built my own cage.

I have LOST the key.

And with my helpless tears

I will remain prisoner of all my fears.

Freedom at my fingertips,

yet this jail will remain closed.

The secrets behind my deceiving lips

are the  silence  I protect my enemies with.

I cower beneath my shadow of shame

where I feel so utterly powerless.

And my monsters that tower

in long, intimidating RoWs

are the devils I worship-

are the darkness I know.