Written for:  Poetic Asides 2023 April PAD Challenge - Day 24

"Write a fear poem."


Eighteen.
Never been
on a plane.
She is traveling
to Mississippi
to marry her mother's
worst nightmare.

She boards with
anticipation,
and anxiety.  An
Air Force wife–
if she only knew
or had listened.
She aisles it for
this trip.  Claustrophobia.

In the seat beside her,
a bulbous-nosed man
nods at her, then
falls asleep after
takeoff, his crumpled
newspaper floating
to the floor.

Halfway to destination,
plane hits turbulence.
Oh no! Is this an augury
of what was to come,
if she even makes it
out alive?  In frantic
mode, she looks around
the plane in search of
someone to allay her
fears.  She spots two
nuns on a diagonal
from her.  They
are praying.

https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/2023-april-pad-challenge-day-23