Fear

Once a girl about age 10,
Asked me then,
what I think is apt here,
What does one mean by ‘fear’?

Silent for a while, I started thinking out loud,
What should I tell this child to hide the pout?
Was it general wonderment, or
Was she digging deep to know more?

Then I thought, why to answer,
When I can also riddle her,
“With your permission” – I said,
“A riddle might help instead”,

After thinking for a while, she said
“Anything that can answer my question you may”,
Grinning away,
Ready for the challenge I prepped

“Glad you would enjoy this too”,
I have thought this through,
“It’s a series of questions I will ask,
True answer is all you need to know”

Nodding away we both,
Started off with the challenge,
Crossing her legs, sitting straight,
She is now looking, right at my face

“Question one” – I said,
“What do you like to do the most?”
In no time came a response my way,
“Talking and thinking” answered one I guess

“Question two” – she said,
“What do you hate the most?”
A frown on her face responded sullen,
“Being alone” cried her lips again

“Question three” – I smiled,
“What would you do if you were stopped to think and talk?”
Stiff she got with a pale face,
She guessed what I was trying to hint

“Question four” – the conclusion,
“What would you do if you had to be alone all life long?”
Her lips shivered but no words escaped,
She realised what she got her way

I put my arms around her to embrace,
She cried her eyes out, hiding her face,
“The feeling you got with questions you answered,
Is what people call fear”