Nothing, But Itself

Terrified, I cower in the darkest corner
shaking in my boots
this creeping unknown swallows me
a gift I didn’t ask to be given. Trembling
I open my eyes to the repeat of nothing
an errant branch scraping against a smooth windowpane
the shadow of the curtain whipping against a bare wall
is nothing
but what it was, it isn’t in the illumination of the light switch
mush less than my mind creates in the imagination of the dark