The moon does not shine
With a light of its own
I learnt this while still quite young
It merely reflects the light of the sun
It is a huge dead rock
Spinning in the sky
And it looks like a Scream mask
Peeping through my blinds
Night terrors held at bay
By a 5 watt night light
Mummy said “Nighty night
Don’t let those bed bugs bite
I’ll leave you the landing light”
I wish I’d been a braver tyke
Reading under a blanket tent
Horror stories by torch light
And when did the sun
Cease to have a face
And long golden legs
Like a smiley spider?
When did the light of the sun
Turn cruel, burning me red
And threatening cancer?
When did my skin get so old?
Light of my life
Come light up my darkness
Lighten my load
And lighten my heart
With the light of your smile
And the light in your eyes
Leave a light in the window
To light my path home
Light bulbs pop
And “Mummy, it’s dark
Mummy, I’m scared”
I still get those nightmares
Even though there’s nothing there
I know there’s nothing
There’s nothing in darkness
That isn’t there in light
The light always fails
The light that was green
Becomes a red light, flashing
The pulsing light with peaks
Becomes a steady light, flatline
They say there’s a light
At the end of every tunnel
The unbearable light of non being
But the light still prevails
The cold light of stars
Shine the light of eternity
To the edge of the universe
Where the light of creation
Has yet to illuminate
The dark eyes of angels
Guarding the borderline
I know that light is life
Light was the primal god
Summoned with sacrifice
Sometimes, the moon is stained
Red with the blood of birth
Out of the collective dark
I emerge into nascent light
And I scream…
