Back when you didn't understand:
blinds
How they worked
Left or right
or what was being hidden
Why would it need hiding?
What might be lurking?

Back before you understood that
The slits between blinds
In the openings of houses
Might be tantalizing
some inscrutable, malignant force
to gaze upon a segment
of prey's life.
Praying perhaps
or sleeping
A gap between consciouses

Back when
the only thing ominous about malignant
was the hard cut of the t
against your tongue

Back then
when unfathomable frights
came in short, staggering gasps
as the wild blinds
rose
for an instant
Silhouetting outlines
Before thundering close
(Cord whipping)
Leaving an impression
that was threatening, but
never-fully explained
and that unprovoked noise
resounding in your head

Back when the strangulation warning
concealed
the utter finality of the
all-seeing awareness
of
not being

blind