entomophobia (an abnormal and persistent fear of insects)

web. nest. infestation.

words that make her skin crawl

thrown into temporary fits

of willies and shivers

upon sight or sense of one

she shuts down

reduced to a blubbering shell

pacing

frantically spot-frisking herself

fingering her hair

for any unwanted hitchhiker

she is so afraid that

she can’t even kill them

she couldn’t possibly risk the uncomfortable

proximity

so finely tuned is her fear

that she can tell if one is in a dark room

even if she is sleeping

her daily routine involves

their constant avoidance

EXTERMINATION is factored

into her regular bills

she is so afraid that to even

speak or write of them

she must detach from herself

as if she were referring to someone else

mks

waiting for a flood

and no words came

no thoughts

no notions

the lateness

adding urgency

but that block

that negative space

blinding and heavy

causing me unwanted

refrain

until that replete dam

swelled and opened at the seams

the tiniest trickle revealed

hoping to expand a crack

and engulf my page

mks

The fall of Icarus – as captured so perfectly by Bruegel the Elder

head down, eyes

grounded

he plows his rows

so close to the edge

so focused

carefully planning the

intent of each step

Blind

to the sweeping

beauty of the sun

meeting the sea

as the ships sail out,

the fishermen fish,

the shepherd daydreams,

and Daedalus’ son falls

virtually undetected

mks