Terry Flood Poet Rhyme

Notes About The Poem

 

Contest: Haunted House/Cemetary/Woods

Sponsor: Tania Kitchin

17 October 2024

 

[Waxing gibbous = More than a half moon but not yet full]

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Haunted Woods

A crisp brown leaf from the sycamore tree
Silently fell to the ground
It gently lay down amidst more of its kind
Having landed with no hint of sound

How could it know of the silence required
To survive through the night in these woods
I’d crunched one such leaf underfoot in my haste
And fell prey to the people in hoods

The moon though dim, waxing gibbous, I think
Throws monochrome shades in the night
Against this old oak I am helpless and tied
There’s no escape, try as I might

What did they mean, “That’s her gluttony sated”?
No woman I see hereabout
My knees feel weak as shrivelled leaves crunch
And they fail as that dull moon…… goes out

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Janice Canerdy November 1, 2024 at 7:16 AM Excellent, Terry. CONGRATS on your well-deserved first-place win. Janice Terry Flood November 1, 2024 at 4:03 PM Much appreciated, Janice. Thanks

Beryl Edmonds October 31, 2024 at 5:38 AM Don’t dare go down in the haunted woods on Halloween, chances are that you’ll never again be seen. Enjoyed the read, congratulations on your win in Tania’s contest… Beryl Terry Flood October 31, 2024 at 11:57 AM Thanks, Beryl. I used to fish through the night in a pond in some woods… I’m no scaredy-cat but it could sure be spooky.

Suzette Richards October 31, 2024 at 2:58 AM A chilling tale that had me gasping 'More, more ...' Congratulations on your win, Terry :) Terry Flood October 31, 2024 at 11:54 AM Thanks, Suzette. Perhaps I should play the ‘less is more’ game more often ;-‘

thriveni c mysore October 27, 2024 at 8:48 PM please write a sequel to this, else it keeps telling me silently 'then what happened' .. congratulations on your win dear poet. cheers. Terry Flood October 28, 2024 at 7:06 AM Thank you, Thriveni. I rarely write open ended tales, but the rules stipulated 16 lines so I left lines 17 onwards to the imagination. Mind you, maybe when I’m out of ideas, I’ll take another look at it.

Sam Kauffman October 27, 2024 at 11:47 AM Terry, a blood chilling mystery! Congratulations on your win! Blessings. Terry Flood October 28, 2024 at 7:07 AM Thanks, Sam. I wasn’t fully convinced of its spookiness, so I’m chuffed with a win ;-)

Kim Rodrigues October 27, 2024 at 11:23 AM Indeed a haunting line! Congrats on your win! Terry Flood October 28, 2024 at 7:08 AM Thanks, Kim. Glad you enjoyed

Jim Healey October 27, 2024 at 8:39 AM Great job, Terry. Congrats on your win. Spooky! Terry Flood October 28, 2024 at 7:08 AM Glad you found the spooky in this, Jim. Terry

Tania Kitchin October 27, 2024 at 7:13 AM Terry, a great spooky poem, congratulations on your first place win. Terry Flood October 28, 2024 at 7:10 AM Thank you, Tania. Appreciate a shared first with a poem I wasn’t overly sure of.

Ilene Bauer October 17, 2024 at 1:10 PM you have painted a very spooky picture, terry, but, naturally, in perfect rhythm and rhyme! i like the unexplained ending - it adds to the spookiness... Terry Flood October 17, 2024 at 3:01 PM Thanks, Ilene. I guess with no distant bell chiming, no gates creaking, no wind moaning and only the mention of one dry leaf crunching underfoot, this is rather understated… took a chance on it because it felt ‘different’. Glad you enjoyed. Terry

Lin Lane October 17, 2024 at 4:24 AM Terry, your lines are mysteriously gruesome. You not only killed off a woman (I think) but the moon, too! An original take on scary. Nice concept. Terry Flood October 17, 2024 at 11:43 AM As mentioned to Deb, below, there’s much withheld here. The women referred to as ‘her’ was not necessarily a women but whatever might need a hunger sating. Did the moon go out or did someone/something come between me and it; did the clouds merely close in front of it or did I simply close my eyes in fear. Unless I consider padding it out as a separate poem… I guess we shall never know. Glad you ‘enjoyed’. Terry

Deb M October 17, 2024 at 1:43 AM Love this Terry….haunting , scary and beautifully written! Debx Terry Flood October 17, 2024 at 11:31 AM Really wasn’t quite sure about this, Deb, but it’s all I had to offer. There are so many verses I may have interwoven had the rules not stipulated 16 lines. So I’m chuffed that you enjoyed and that you managed to fill in the blanks. Terry