the enemy of oneself

Vampires bite and werewolves howl

Ghouls stagger and zombies yowl

Creatures of imagination

What harm can they do?

But there is one

As real

As me

Or you

This creature bites

Does not let go

It looks for fights

Things to cause woe

It is the trap

That traps its paw

It growls and snaps

At its own maw

Reflected in the mirror

A visage of pure terror

Rabid froth

Spilling out

Composed of anger, bitterness

and moral drought

It whines and barks

And screams and yells

It lies and tricks

Deceives itself

But when the sun sets

Leaving leafless trees bare

The paw still bleeds

That trap still gleams

And the monster

Is still there

And in its mind

Is naught but one

Solution

It bares its crooked teeth

To perform

Self-mutilation

Ⓒ daniellejacobs/trickstergod 2023