1-800-FEAR

We'd  like  to  talk  with  you  about  fear they  said  so
many  people  live  in  fear  these  days  they  drove  up
all  four  of  them  in  a  small  car nice   boy  they  said
beautiful  dogs they  said  so  friendly  the  man  ahead
of  the  woman  the other  two  waiting  in  the  drive  I
was  outside digging up the garden no one home I said
what   are  you  selling   anyway  I'm   not  interested  I
said  well  you  have  a  nice  day  they  said  here's  our
card  there's   a  phone  number  you  can  call  anytime
any  other   houses  down  this  road  anyone  else   live
here  we'd  like  to  talk  to  them  about  living  in  fear
Jody Gladding, "1-800-FEAR" from Translations from Bark Beetle. Copyright © 2014 by Jody Gladding.  Reprinted by permission of Milkweed Editions. www.milkweed.org
Source: Translations from Bark Beetle (Milkweed Editions, 2014)
More Poems by Jody Gladding