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Stefano Carini's avatar

fear

noun

1.To walk an unknown road, at dusk. Familiar turns strange, and trees are animated shapes.

2.To see countless mirrors, none of them reflecting my face.

3. A special place to name—so that everyone knows where it is, but no one wants to be there.

4. An easy word to shut the chamber of the unknown.

5. Your eyes—when they seek mine but find only the empty mirrors.

6. The thing we nourish yet fail to acknowledge—it has our face but looks on the ground.

7. Is that why the mirrors were empty? But why do we call it fear then? I told you—it looks on the ground.

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Namratha Varadharajan's avatar

Uff! Really liked what you did with this—how you built it all up and connected the last two.. Fear is such a layered emotion, and it is our everyday reality. The first time I read this, I read the second one as "to see countless mirrors, none of them reflecting your face", because, I think one of my recurring and greatest fears is losing the ones I love, and knowing it is an eventuality. Thanks for writing and sharing this piece, Stefano.

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Stefano Carini's avatar

Thank you for reading!

Yes, that is certainly a fear we all have as humans. I had this “image” of fear as something with our own face but looking away.

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shaun tenzenmen's avatar

Here's my attempt:

https://1994ever.com/2025/03/11/name-11th-march-2025/

Thanks for checking it out.

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Namratha Varadharajan's avatar

Love the rhythm in your piece!

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Sonia Dogra's avatar

Here we are,

https://soniadogra.com/2025/03/12/wall/

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Sonia Dogra's avatar

I deviated a bit. Went beyond one-line descriptions. Will probably try again later. Do let me know if this works, even remotely.

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small victories's avatar

Better late than never :3

https://substack.com/@mikejewett/note/c-99822420?r=3vkv22

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Namratha Varadharajan's avatar

Excellent take on the form. Thanks for writing along

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small victories's avatar

It stretched my brain muscle for sure

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Sonia Dogra's avatar

I've tried this form before. As a recipe. But yet to see what I can come up with from the dictionary. I like your last two definitions of bully. The sarcasm fits to a T.

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Namratha Varadharajan's avatar

The poem started for me with the last line and a newsclip i read. Thanks for reading. Looking forward to reading your poem

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Manisha Sahoo's avatar

Really loved the prompt, and the poem you built on it. The last two meanings were so hard-hitting!!

Here's my humble attempt:

https://leesplash.substack.com/p/ichor-ahy-kawr-ahy-ker-poetic-adventure

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Amit Charles's avatar

This has been so enlightening. Thank you for taking the time to research and share.

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Namratha Varadharajan's avatar

Your welcome, Amit. The form is quite interesting. Have you attempted any hermit crab poem before?

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Amit Charles's avatar

Not yet. I might try soon. I'll keep you posted.

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