There is a man, clad in black
Who follows me around
Wherever I go
He is feared by many
But not by me—not usually
He used to follow me from a distance
Teasing me, staying just out of sight
But now, whenever I turn my head
I see him looking over my shoulder
Always there, a silent companion,
A guardian, I pray
My dear silent companion
Bold and unafraid
I cannot seem to shake him
No matter where I hide or turn
But I want him to stay;
Without him I’m afraid
I hate him when I lie awake
And he wiggles closer to my ass
Purring in my ear
Wanting to force himself upon me
Compelling me to summon
My every ounce of will
To refuse his warmth
But sometimes in the day
When despair threatens to take hold
For the umpteenth time—I do not count
I reach back and find there his comforting hand
Its squeeze telling me in no uncertain terms
When I cannot bear it any longer
His warm embrace will be waiting
To comfort me and never let me go
All through the day he wears a cold grin
Without moving any lips
Mocking my efforts, mocking everything
He gives me no privacy
Yet is the best friend I have
I don’t know much about him
Just that he’s polygamous
And once he almost kissed me
Nameless, I named him Hope
In a world of hopelessness
He frightens me in the night
Cuddling too close
Never leaving me alone
Never providing a respite
But sometimes in the day
I face him and ask him Why
Yet my questions are irrelevant
Not one answer forthcoming
There’s only that enigmatic gaze
That gateway to mystery
Harassing me, burning me alive
Against my better judgment still I ask
And keep asking; asking and pondering
But his dead eyes just stare at me coldly
And his scythe reflects no sunlight
2 comments
Wow what a beautiful piece of poetry I can really relate to it especially the part about “and his scythe reflects no sunlight”
Thank you. I have written many of the sort – about death, suicide, depression, loneliness, despair, anger, you name it. Gets some of the feelings out and on paper.