John Lawless Poet Free verse

BEDTIME STORY

The plot thickened
Thinned…then
Thickened again
As idle thoughts perused the air
Each page a hero
Facing fear
Then a shift
Plot’s deviance
A character
That makes no sense
Inserted
As an after thought
Reshuffling the lies I bought

Lightening flashed
The book took flight
Monsters from all ages
Ran amok
And brought to life
The terror
Of the pages

I found it hiding ‘neath the bed
A place I knew quite well
For I had gathered woolies there
In midnight’s game
Of hide and shriek

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sara Etgen-Baker September 6, 2026 at 3:48 PM 'hide and shriek' = priceless. 😊

Gershon Wolf September 3, 2026 at 8:44 PM 'Hide and shriek' works for me. ~ Old Yeller John Lawless September 4, 2026 at 4:45 AM Old Yeller......first movie I ever cried at.....

Alison A Smith September 3, 2026 at 8:02 PM A wonderfully playful free-verse bedtime tale, where the “plot” becomes a living, unruly creature. The shifting line lengths and sudden turns echo the story’s escalating chaos, while the ending neatly blends childhood fear, humour, and the familiar refuge beneath the bed. John Lawless September 4, 2026 at 4:47 AM Glad you enjoyed this trip to the other side of the mattress....Hey, that would have been a nice title. Thanks for stopping by to read and comment. always appreciated