Fear itself

There is only a small space that lies amid fear and the jump
thin like a hair, wide like a gap of two rocks colliding  to drift apart
further away from their expected place of rest
the space is big enough for fear to open the doors and tiptoe
into the main halls of the house-
the living room, fear sits in front of the fire place
cross legged first, allowing you enough time to reason with breath
then, like a house owner it pulls out its shoes and rests its feet up high  roasting chestnuts
on the opened fire and humming Christmas melodies that cause mayhem, like the Grinch
stealing joy the way winter steals summer's lilacs
in total comfort, fear stews its food.
Like guilt, like shame, like fire consuming wood
fear stays, as fear only resides in those who live on the edge of the gap,
 before the jump like rocks that collide
only to drift apart, leaving madness to answer to the nagging questions of
the sane.