What? Me Afraid? Poem by Francie Lynch

Throughout my life,
I've been afraid;
It started with shadows,
It'll end with the grave.

I was afraid of falling
Off my bike,
Yet I kept on falling
Till I got it right.

I was afraid of what
I didn't know;
But knew that school
Was the place to go.

I was afraid of the silence,
When the talking stopped;
I was afraid of the water
Until I belly-flopped;

I was afraid of strays,
Cats and dogs;
Until I met your pets
And saw their love.

I was afraid of bullies,
Big and bad;
I stared down their threats,
They were small and sad.

I was afraid of my father,
Soon the boy grew up;
I was afraid of failure,
So I never stopped.

I was afraid of being caught,
So I learned to tell the truth;
I'm afraid of Climate Change,
I'm afraid we'll loose our Earth.

I'm afraid for my children,
Now they're afraid for theirs;
My thinning skin is looser now,
And I'm loosing my grey hairs.

And I'm not liking Death, just now,
People disappear from view;
And yet I heard or read somewhere,
It's the easiest thing we'll do.