My Deepest Fear (for Jeff)

it rests there, deep, down
in the gut of my existence
penetrating every thought
perpetrating every inaction
lurking in the darkness
of a single person, stood
alone in the kitchen
barely dressed, bare feet
on the cold linoleum
at 2:37am on a Thursday
in a colder month
of any year
my deepest fear
is getting caught
drinking the last sip
of milk
from the jug