The Nightmare
By Scott Davenport

There rides a rider
On a beast of dreams
Who bares the terror
Of nightly unrest, it seems.

Spreading the seeds
Of a deep darkness
And turning your dreams
Into those of dark distress.

Terror, gloom, dread, and fear
Are what the Horseman brings
To your mind as you sleep
And to it, bad dreams cling.

Running from the Thing,
Or facing your fear,
Are all you need to know
That the Horseman is near.

The Horseman and his steed
Travel an eternal road
Of an ethereal dreamscape
Carrying his dreadful load.

One of his names is the Nightmare
But goes by different names
In different languages and cultures.
But his purpose is always the same.

Will the Nightmare visit you tonight?

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