Fear

Surely I must have ailed     On that dark night,     Or my childish courage failed     Because there was no light;     Or terror must have come     With his chill wing,     And made my angel dumb,     Or found him slumbering.     Because I could not sleep     Terror began to wake,     Close at my side to creep     And sting me like a snake.     And I was afraid of death,     But when I thought of pain--     O, language no word hath     To recall that thought again!     Into my heart fear crawled     And wreathed close around,     Mortal, convulsive, cold,     And I lay bound.     Fear set before my eyes     Unimaginable pain;     Approaching agonies     Sprang nimbly into my brain.     Just as a thrilling wind     Plucks every mournful wire,     So terror on my wild mind     Fingered, with ice and fire.     O, not death I feared,     But the anguish of the body;     My dizzying passions heard,     Saw my own bosom bloody.     I thought of years of woe,     Moments prolonged to years,     Heard my heart racing so,     Redoubling all those fears.     Yet still I could not cry,     Not a sound the stillness broke;     But the dark stirred, and my     Negligent angel woke.