Quadrille #37—Be Not Afraid

So happy to see you this lovely Monday at dVerse, where this week we will be sharing the fun and challenging Quadrille.

We live in anxious times. On a global scale there is international conflict and instability, terrorist threats, political divisiveness and uncertainty, identity threat and climate change. We are polarized and fear one another, fear those who see things differently than we do.

On a personal level it can be even worse. We fear meaninglessness, financial insecurity, the past, the future, loss, death and what comes after. We are afraid that we are not good enough, that we don’t meet expectations. We seek professional help for anxiety we can’t even name.

And then there are those good old phobias—some of them understandable if we dip into events of our past. I have a horror of heights that I think came from having to descend a rickety old fire escape during fire drills in High School. Others, not so rational.

Welcome, then, to dVerse Quadrille #37. In case you haven’t figured it out, I would like you to take the word FEAR and use it in a poem of exactly 44 words, excluding the title. Fear can be used as a verb, noun adjective (fearful) and adverb (fearfully). Don’t be afraid—just take it wherever the muse leads you. Even add a bit of humor to lighten the load.

To participate:

• Write your poem and post it on your blog or website;
• Access Mr. Linky at the bottom of this post and add your name and the direct URL to your submission;
• Spend time enjoying and commenting on the work of your fellow pubsters, especially those who have taken the time to do so for you.
• Enjoy your time writing and reading poetry.
• Share a link to this prompt on your social media sites.

For dVerse, this is Victoria, happy to be hosting today’s Quadrille and reminding you that the prompt is open all week, so join in when you are able.