Fear
      IS
      ...
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Fear
      is
      shivering
      souls
      pleading
      to
      be
      freed.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      from
      the
      death
      of
      darkness
     
     
      or
      the
      chains
      of
      sin.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Fear
      is
      alone
      yet
      surrounded
      by
      the
      screaming
      silence.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      of
      a
      world
      never
      travelled
     
     
      but
      plagued
      with
      footprints.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Fear
      is
      the
      sensation
      of
      peace
      in
      the
      coming
     
    
   
   
    
     
      blocked
      by
      towering
      walls
     
     
      and
      mazes
      of
      serpents.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Fear
      is
      unforeseen
      by
      the
      conscious
      mortal
      eye;
     
    
   
   
    
     
      a
      hollow
      place
      within
      the
      soul
     
     
      with
      its
      barrier
      ajar.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Fear
      exists
      where
      the
      unknowns
      are
      alive
      and
      aware
     
    
   
   
    
     
      of
      the
      brave
      and
      the
      bold
     
     
      who
      can
      soon
      be
      leased
      in.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Shanna
      Ramsay
     
     
      1989
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Jester's
      Tears
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      jester
      stood
      amidst
      the
      royal
     
     
      autumn
      trees.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      His
      tears
      fell
      like
      a
      shower
      of
     
     
      animated
      dead
      leaves.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      His
      colorful
      soul
      writhed
      in
      pain,
      the
     
     
      Picture
      in
      which
      he
      lived
      seemed
      insane.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      dark
      sun
      int
      he
      sky,
      which
      shone
     
     
      through
      the
      light
      rain,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      It
      seemed
      as
      though
      reflecting
      his
     
     
      "Masters!
      wreak
      of
      shame.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      And
      soon
      he'd
      have
      to
      cheer
      his
     
     
      Masters'
      conquest
      of
      fear.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      court
      was
      growing
      restless,
     
     
      Cclarions
      began
      to
      fluster.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Evil,
      Greed,
      and
      Jealousy
      so
      dark
     
     
      presently
      needed
      their
      jester.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      So
      he
      went
      unable
      to
      abstain,
     
     
      his
      Masters!
      wreak
      of
      pain.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Shawn
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Finale
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Hot
      sand
     
     
      slips
      softly
     
    
   
   
    
     
      between
      my
      toes.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      It
      comforts
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Lifeless
     
    

    
     
      Still
     
    

    
     
      Dead
     
    

    
     
      I
      lie
     
    

    
     
      No
      coffin,
     
     
      No
      satin,
     
    

    
     
      No
      comfort,
     
     
      Can’t
      see,
     
     
      Can’t
      move
     
     
      Can’t
      scream.
     
     
      Only
      listen
     
     
      To
      the
      laughing
     
     
      For
      eternity.
     
     
      As
      I
      lie
     
     
      Lifeless
     
    

    
     
      Still
     
    

    
     
      Dead.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Shanna
      Ramsay
     
    
   
   
    
     
      but
      does
      not
      replace
     
    
   
   
    
     
      the
      empty
      space
     
    
   
   
    
     
      next
      to
      me
      in
      the
      sand
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Your
      outline,
      still
      fresh
     
    
   
   
    
     
      in
      the
      sand,
     
     
      fades
      slowly,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      as
      the
      hours
      fly
      by
      unnoticed.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Eventually,
      the
      water
      returns,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _
      engulfing
      your
      vanishing
      remainder
      |
     
    
   
   
    
     
      as
      the
      wet
      blanket
      sluggishly
     
    
   
   
    
     
      covers
      me,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      my
      trance
      is
      broken
     
     
      And
      I
      stand.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Pausing
      briefly,
      I
      stare
     
     
      at
      the
      incoming
      tide.
      -
     
     
      Hestitantly,
      I
      move
      away,
     
     
      wondering
      if
      the
      tide
     
    

    
     
      will
      ever
      go
      back
      out.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Tim
      Wartman
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      UPEI
      X-P
      RESS
     
    
   
   
    
     
      October
      24,
      1991
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Page
      12
     
     
      il