Failure

The worst word I know

It burns in my thoughts

Stays permanently

Forever engraved

I see it

Behind my eyelids

In my mistakes

In my doubts

In my inactions

I hear it

A whisper of defeat

directly into my ears

making me believe

every word

I smell it

A gasoline odor

invades my nose

Pinch nostrils

to avoid the stench

I taste it

The bitterness lingers

The sour sting

that makes me cringe

I feel it

Sharp spikes

Cutting into skin

I’m afraid

So terrified of failing

that I fail

because I don’t even start