Nothing Left To Lose

Fear Has Another Side

I am being followed again Goose bumps lace up my arms Their tendrils rickety and reaching up The back of my neck at high alert

Schlop, schlop, schlop His footsteps through the mud In time with my loud beating heart Closer, closer, closer still

I turn back to catch sight, to confirm A shadow, slipping into shadows The tube light buzzing, past its prime now Adding to my solitary dread

Alone, unescorted, unaccompanied Unaided, unassisted, isolated Abandoned, forsaken, desolate Maimed, gutted, exterminated

My thoughts at a rising staccato Do I hide? Do I run? Do I shout? Examining my options but yet Disposing of each in turn

I am left to my own devices And there is no one to turn to And nowhere to run And nothing to lose

I look around at the noir drenched street Foggy lamppost, blinking lights Grey black cats, quiet neighbors Dreaming into their heartless oblivion

I push back on my heels and turn Slipping out the spiked brass knuckles He’s in for a treat now, I bare my teeth Don’t mess with those who have

Nothing left to lose.

This one’s for you, Suzanne V. Tanner.