Creepers

This realm of peril

we blithely allow

our children

to wander unescorted,

the digital playground.

All too often,

we do not recognize

that all of the players

wear masks,

and some of them

disguise monstrousness

behind alluring facades

of understanding friends

and forbidden pleasures.

All too often, we rely

on Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft

to serve as babysitter

while we seek affluence

and influence,

prosperity and decadence,

trusting digital watchdogs

to keep our progeny

safe from the predatory.

We forget the harsh truths

promulgated by con artists,

when we leave our treasures

unprotected, unguarded,

there are always those

who will seek to claim them.

The Enemy?