Lady of The Nightmares

Darkness deepens all around her,
the brilliance of her gown surrounds her.
Blinding light makes dark a refuge
ignoring goodness as subterfuge.
Beware her beauty is a mask,
covering her evil task.

Enslaving minds with a sweep of hand,
she crosses o'er from another land
where fantasy rules o'er the day
and reality is out of the way.
Terrible to see her visage,
feel her stare like razor's edge.

Once ensnared into her grasp,
on sanity you lose your clasp.
While dreams both horrid and wonderful
hammer away within your skull,
no knowledge of whether wake or dream
enticing a twisted mental scream.

Should you awake from nightmare terror
a glimpse of her perhaps you've shared
be grateful she is but temporary
with demon, unicorn and fairie
For should you ever gain her fancy
retaining sanity is chancy!

Fantasy, over which she reigns
can leave on one a soul-deep stain
if exposed to her any length of time
as if a cancer, not benign
to sap the joy and light from life
leave behind deep, sour strife.