Death Looks at an Eye

We paint these things
And make these signs
To ward off what
Will not see them,

Heed us, read them.
Then we paint more.
They’re in our heads.
They’re in our mouths,

These signs we show
To what we fear
In hopes we can
Scare fear with them,

Can scare off fears
With signs of dread—
With eyes! Fear’s just
Holes in a head.