Walk in the dark
and slowly the eyes
adjust. There a tree.
There a roof. There
the hill across the street.
But tonight, too lost
in my own thoughts,
I looked a long time
into the dark and saw
what was not there—
the hulking back of bear,
the gimp of a stalker,
a badger nose.
A squirrel chirped
and I ran for the house.
Everything we fear,
it will find us, will fill
the night with its
empty suggestions.
I make fun of myself
once I reach the lit room,
but the fear doesn’t laugh,
it just walks to the bed
and sits behind the lamp
waiting for a dream.