Four Horsemen In The Night Poem by Liilia Talts Morrison

They came as always unannounced
dark harbingers of fear
four horsemen galloping again
upon my soul's frontier

the moon looked on from shrouded clouds
but could not help my plight
as hooves of terror marred my back
on that bewildered night

The foaming mouths and fiery eyes
the veils of stark despair
were much too strong for man or beast
to conquer or to bear

The dust from hoofbeats formed a cloud
that blotted out my will
as flaring nostrils spewed forth flames
destruction to fulfill

When morning came I found myself
in sheets wrapped into knots
around my sweaty arms and legs
imprisoned on my cot

I saw no sign of hooves or whips
or flames of terror's plight
the morning sun looked unconcerned
that I survived the night.