Growing Inwards

 
Born directly into loving, caring hands,
with this, the fear of being alone. It can be changed.
Born without fear of the dark,
this fear is learned, and unlearned. Sometimes.

Was scared of the dark as a small kid.
A result of horror films(mum's obsession.
That, and serial killers).
"You either watch the film, or go to bed,"
and no sane child wants bed, and no kid
ever knows what's good for them.

Spent most of my years alone after that.
Many fears outshon by reality and knowledge.
The darker the room; better the sleep,
with the noises of young times muzzled into quietude --

then the other night,
after years of a second pair of lungs
beating, like an owl's wing beside me,
I laid supine. Just my own chest
slowly burying me in the heaviest silence;
the blindest, and in this, that small boy.