shuffling feet + creaking stairs

Nightmares are for children
They have not yet reasoned gods
or universal goodness

they understand racing hearts
and terror eyes, reaching hands
from midnight skies, shuffling
feet on creaking stairs, raspy
breaths from under beds,

then they grow and laugh and
love, discover gods and god's
great love, the monsters
banished, gone to wait but...
Monster's just the word for fate

M P 22/8/22