Almost forgot

[deckardcanine]

I wrote this poem in sixth grade, and it got honors. The inspiration was a poem at the front of one of the "Calvin & Hobbes" collections -- the Authoritative one, I think. Bracketed stanzas were removed for publication brevity; in retrospect, that was a good thing.

HALLOWEEN NIGHT

The very sight of lightning
Is so very, very fright'ning
On this dark and stormy night of Halloween.
The cold wind is a-blowin'
With the misty fog a-flowin',
And the air's begun to smell like gasoline.

[Who, me? I'm not a coward!
I've got lots of mental power!
And besides, there's no such thing as dumb old creeps!
Oh phooey, who'm I kidding,
When beneath this frigid bedding,
Not a single living soul would get to sleep?]

I'm not sure what the smell is,
But it's coming from the cella's,
And it's getting somewhat stronger by the minute....
Did you hear something shatter?
Well, it's making my teeth chatter,
'Cause it sounds like the closet has something in it.

[Egad! What are those drip-drops?
I might go down in my flip-flops,
But I have a feeling I don't want to know.
Uh oh, I see a puddle,
And it seems completely subtle
What is causing it repulsively to flow.]

I feel sweat upon my shoulder,
Even though it's gotten colder,
'Cause I'm very certain that I'm not alone.
Now I'm hiding in the covers
As a creepy shadow hovers
On the carpet and I hear a chilling moan.

Through the sheets, I see eyes shining
As the creature starts inclining,
Causing me to feel a devastating fear.
Then some scarlet teeth a-glisten,
And I try hard not to listen
To my screaming as the fearsome thing draws near.

And with that, I wake up quickly.
I'm no longer feeling sickly,
'Cause there is no creature after all, I guess....
But then, I can't be knowing,
For I sense a creepy glowing
Just behind the closet door, I dare confess.

Two years later, I wrote a follow-up poem detailing the same story from another perspective. I don't consider it as good, but you can tell that my functional vocabulary had increased:

MY NIGHT

The booming sound of thunder
Is one very blissful wonder
To a cold, bloodthirsty monster such as me.
The setting is fantastic
To perform an act that's drastic,
Namely masticate some creature savagely.

Through the forest, I go creeping
While most animals are sleeping.
Soon I come across this dark and lonely shack.
A human's taste I savor.
It's a rather scrumtious flavor.
I guess this is where I'll have my midnight snack.

I crawl into the basement,
And somewhat to my amazement,
I knock over an old, rusty can of gas.
Then -- oh, how ungainly --
I almost yell out profanely
After stepping on a piece of broken glass.

I think myself a lummox,
Then I focus on my stomach's
Growl of hunger, so I go upstairs to chow.
I do not use the stairway,
I prefer to go the rare way --
By a crash up through the upper floor, that's how!

A dark closet I have entered.
All the wood beneath me's splintered.
Now I peek into the keyhole at my prey.
I just can't avoid my dribbling
At the thought of grimly nibbling
On the timid human being that I'll slay.

I exit the closet slowly.
My intentions are unholy
As I go toward the frightened victim's bed.
The youth seems apprehensive
And completely inoffensive
When I bend over to munch the juicy head....

In a moment I have faded,
For the dream is terminated.
(I'm a monster in a nightmare, I regret.)
But perhaps there'll be a sequel.
I am certain that I'm equal
To that dreamer, so I'll have my mealtime yet.

Comments

[nefaria.livejournal.com]

Very clever wordplay, I like it. :)

[deckardcanine.livejournal.com]

Thank you.