Halloween - From a Neighborhood Child

HALLOWEEN Frightening things Bats Just at twilight Flying Darting Low O’er the churchyard green At night Also frightening The Baptist Church ITSELF! Eerie windows Barely lit An organ playing Halloween music I hate it! Always Halloween music Troutman’s cat Swishes her tail Around the bullet tree The deaf woman calls Sandy voice “Tabby! Tabby!” The narrow way Between the houses Up down The alley Vacant lots With rotting Hollyhocks Instead of “Handouts!” Big Bill Pritchard Without a word Lets the loudest Contra-bass Utterly disgusting BELCH! You’ve ever heard Barren trees Finger The sky Poke at clouds Have eyes Moon With rings Eyes Other black things Wind An old kite Caught in a tree Flaps its tail Looks down At ME! Run! Feet hit Like shots Against the wind! Chimneys Roofs With goblins! Laughing! Crawling! AH! Friends! The least Appalling masks With familiar voices Behind Run! Laugh! Shout! “HANDOUTS!!!”