Creative Commons License

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.

Photo by sankavi on Unsplash

Fear is more
than just a word.
It’s the hell
in your father’s eyes.
It can drive you
to madness.
Leaves you trembling.
The fearful
will always be in
control.
You’re a slave to it,
never to leave
its tight grasp
around the throat
of your life.
Fear is more
than just a word.

Disclaimer: The views in this article are those of the author. Prison Journalism Project has verified the writer’s identity and basic facts such as the names of institutions mentioned.

Ian Shaw is a writer of horror poetry and short stories. Shaw is currently working on self-publishing a collection of his writings. He is incarcerated in California. Ian Shaw is his pen name.