Essential Phobias

This one was written to be submitted as an entry to a creative writing contest at IISc that was eventually cancelled.This was one of the topics.

My psychiatrist said to me,
“Listen, my dear
There do exist things
That we ought to fear “

“Forget them not,
For I recall,
They just might cause
Your final downfall”

“So, listen to me
with utmost care
and stop spending time on
rearranging your hair”

“Getting scared isn’t
really all that hard.
In fact even easier than
Becoming a bard “

“The following things
must frighten you
Their count is more
Than just a few “

“An evil look,
an ice-cold stare
not to forget ,
an enraged bear “

“Even a bear that’s
not in rage
is best feared when
inside a cage”

“The bear and you
can amicably decide
which of you’ll be on
the cage’s inside “

“The next few things
in this formidable list,
are rain and thunder,
fog and mist “

“Fog and mist can
make your life tough
forcing you to play
blind man’s buff “

“Mountains and rivers
rivers and lakes
in addition, of course,
occasional earthquakes”

Then she paused to
Recollect her thoughts
Would she include (I wondered)
Floods and droughts ?

“Dacoits and burglars,
Robbers and thieves
Quacks and superstitions,
And baseless blind beliefs “

Would she go on
Like this for ever (I wondered)
I vowed “Listen to
her again –I will , never “

Sensing my thoughts
She said to me
“Stay for a minute more
and I’ll set you free “

“The fact is you aren’t
really mature enough.
And treat my advice to
Be a piece of bluff “

“Possibly fifty years
down the line
when you’ll be healthy,
wealthy, fit and fine, “

“You’ll recall my well-meant
profound advice
and realize that I’ve been
really nice and wise “

“For your mental well-being
I’ve always cared.
When in doubt,
It’s safe to be scared “

“The key to success
is to live in fear.
The reason for this
Will soon become clear “

With those final words
She let me leave
Upon which I heaved
a sigh of relief

It was with caution
I stepped on the road
Scared, upset, but
Definitely not bored

Was I, I wondered
Really scared enough
Boy, I was finding
This rather tough

Nothing on road to
Make me scared
And help me find out
How I had fared .

Then I decided
I’ll choose to be brave
And brave I shall be
When I go the grave!

I continued on my journey
Confident and bold
Though that wasn’t what
I’d just been told

And since then it’s
Been crystal clear
The way to live life
Is to live without fear.