Fear

My throat grows dry, my stomach tight
My heart begins to pump
My legs begin to tremble
And my head begins to thump

My face is pale, my tongue is stuck
My teeth begin to chatter
I gasp and gulp and swallow breaths
It seems to make no matter

I tremble like a sail at sea.
My knees begin to knock
My breathing fast and laboured
Knows that I've had a shock.

My hair prickles from back to front
My neck trickles with sweat
The awful thing confronting me
I am unable to forget.

My eyes are large, my eyebrows frown,
My nostrils still ; dilated.
My cheekbones hard against my teeth
My fear lives unabated.

I shiver too, my body cold.
I clear my croaky voice.
I steel myself to meet the fear.
I really have no choice.