Three in this family:
Fright, Terror and Fear,
Sometimes they come together
At times one appears.
One, a sudden jolt,
One will trouble for life,
One is an ominous warning
Of coming strife.
One’s on the horizon,
One keeps our company,
One may come without warning
Bringing misery.
I will give you a chance
To make the distinction,
To distinguish between these three
With some conviction.
One is a sudden jolt,
One will trouble for life,
One is an ominous indication
Of oncoming strife.
Were you able to find
The difference between
Or have you opined that all three
Paint a similar scene?
Some interchange them
And will cite overlap
But from a purist’s point of view
This is not a fact.
You’ve had all three
At one time or another
But one of them, you will agree
Is a constant bother.
This one is a phobia
Or simply put, a fear,
And it is the one that haunts you
And does not go away.
The jolt, if you will,
Can be defined as fright,
Shortest in the family it happens
In the day or night.
The touch of a feather
Or a very narrow escape,
This lasts for nigh a few seconds
Quickening heart rate.
The third is frightening
Long before it happens
And even the bravest of persons
Will feel threatened.
From June to November
Is a lingering fear
But it becomes a troubling terror
As a storm draws near.
Yes, three in this family
Fright, terror and fear,
If by now you know the difference
You can go and prepare.
Stewart Russell © February 4, 2026
