Carol Ann Duffy is a Scottish poet who is the fi rst ever female poet laureate. This means she has been appointed as the nation’s offi cial poet by the British Government.
The speaker in this poem imagines the dark as various sources of comfort. Look out for the comparisons in the poem.
Don’t Be Scared By Carol Ann Duff y
The dark is only a blanket for the moon to put on her bed.
The dark is a private cinema for the movie dreams in your head.
The dark is a little black dress to show off the sequin stars.
The dark is the wooden hole behind the strings of happy guitars.
The dark is a jeweller’s velvet cloth where children sleep like pearls.
The dark is a spool of fi lm to photograph boys and girls,
so smile in your sleep in the dark. Don’t be scared.
