The Role of Fear

Shame is from fear of guilt.
Unity is from fear of weakness.
Anger is from fear of failure.
Love is from fear of losing.

Rivalry is the sign of fear.
Jealousy is the sign of fear.
Desire is reined by fear.
Desire is blocked by fear.

This short poems shows us what comes about from fear, and what we do when we fear. Some good emotions can come from fear like love and unity, but it can also bring out the evil within us. The fear of failure not only blocks us from success, but can cause anger and disappointment. Rivalry and jealousy are directly linked to fear. The fear of comparison leads us to envy and despise others who we consider to be better than ourselves.

John 4:18 - There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 

Fear and Love

What is fear? What is the meaning of love? 
Fear is Love
and
Love is Fear
No one knows the true meaning of Fear till they
experience Love
No one knows the true meaning of Love till they
experience Fear
So who am I to question fear and love when
its only an emotion that one feels
So tell me what's Fear times Love
if
Fear is Love
and
Love is Fear 

Fear is evident in our humanities whether it be music, art, or poetry and it affects people on different levels. Poetry is a little more subtle than the other medias, being that it cannot be seen or heard, but it is still open to interpretation. This still leaves room for an impact on the readers and the messages in the poems vary from composer to composer. This particular poem, by Rebecca Cadena, compares fear to love. These are two of the most powerful emotions felt by human beings and have shaped our society. Cadena brilliantly compares these two contrasting sensations, arguing you cannot know one without experiencing the other. This is similar to the idea that there cannot be good without evil, but goes a little deeper. She elaborates by saying that they are one and the same. Although they feel like the ends of a continuum, they are two shades of the same color. One of the greatest fears for all humans is losing something, or someone that you love dearly. You cannot truly feel this sheer dread without loving something first, so this requires you to take a chance. The fear of death or injury can be justified by loving yourself, which isn’t particularly selfish and is shared by many humans. This poem relates to the epic of Gilgamesh in that the mighty king of Uruk had nothing to fear until he met Enkidu. Gilgamesh and Enkidu instantly connected, and this was the first time that Gilgamesh experienced love and friendship. The inevitable and unthinkable occurs when Enkidu perishes, leaving Gilgamesh utterly distraught. Gilgamesh was beside himself and couldn’t imagine his life without his dear companion, going to extreme lengths in order to bring him back. Gilgamesh will avoid any future relationships so he can avoid the loss of someone close to him, but in the end he was a new person. There is a saying that it is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all, but it certainly doesn’t feel that way when experiencing loss first hand.


(Previously submitted option by Matt Black)

Sources:
John 4:18 - NIV
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-role-of-fear/ - role of fear
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/fear-and-love/ - fear and love