My Monsters

In the dark of night The monsters came Creeping and creaking, Breathing my name. Peeking through windows Slipping under my bed Upon closing my eyes They entered my head. Coming out of the fog Intending to kill Chasing and racing Craving blood for a swill. I’d wake to my screams Coming out of my throat Heart beating fiercely Like a drum to the note. Then they’d be gone Heading back to the shadows Waiting till dusk Like death for the gallows. They'd always be back Taunting my mind Scratching and scraping Whenever inclined. As I got older They changed how they fed Feasting on doubts Their method instead. Using my forbears Their sins and their crimes Planting the seeds In the back of my mind. Could the sins of the father Be the sins of the son Promoting the notion Wrongs may be rerun. Could the demons from past Walk to the future Festering inside me Much like a tumour. Maybe this blood That courses my veins Is genetically soiled Carries a stain. So if you hear screams In the dead of night It’s me and my terrors Please consider my plight.

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Lu Loo

Date: 8/7/2016 7:15:00 PM

Mark, congrats on your placement with this wonderful poem :)-luloo

Sunita U.D Palawon

Date: 8/7/2016 11:10:00 AM

Food for thought indeed...Congrats on your win. :) Sunita

Richard Lamoureux

Date: 8/6/2016 9:54:00 AM

Congrats on your win in my contest.

Skat A

Date: 10/14/2015 10:28:00 PM

Mark, Congratulations on your awesome win. SKAT :)

Mark Woods
Date: 10/15/2015 3:10:00 AM

Cheers SKAT, I was fortunate to get onto the board.

Dr. Upma A. Sharma

Date: 10/13/2015 11:55:00 PM

Wonderful take on the theme Mark with this superb winning write! Big congrats!

Mark Woods
Date: 10/14/2015 3:31:00 AM

Thanks Doc, I didn't manage to quite say it but I really do think our minds are our own worst enemies sometimes.

Michael Tor

Date: 10/13/2015 4:51:00 PM

Clevely written Mark and a well deserved win to you! Congratulations my friend.

Mark Woods
Date: 10/14/2015 3:27:00 AM

Cheers Michael, for whatever reason it was a poem that just worked, I'm pleased it came together the way it did.

Sandra Haight

Date: 10/13/2015 2:22:00 PM

Great poem, Mark! Love the rhythm which seems to enhance the sense of fear! Congrats on your HM win!

Mark Woods
Date: 10/14/2015 3:24:00 AM

Thank you Sandra, I did try and write it with a fast beat, and I was really pleased that a rhythm was maintained.

Balveen Cheema

Date: 10/13/2015 11:20:00 AM

Absolutely superb! The imagery overlapping with a philosophical approach is amazing! Congrats Mark!

Mark Woods
Date: 10/14/2015 3:21:00 AM

Cheers Balveen, I'd love to say I'm a genius and I planned it! But it was a write that came to me and I just went with the flow, and I do really think we are all born with monsters and that as we age they change.

Lindsay Laurie

Date: 10/5/2015 7:22:00 PM

G'day Mark... enjoyed reading your poem with its nice flow and the topic of 'like father like son' is not uncommon - Lindsay

Mark Woods
Date: 10/14/2015 3:17:00 AM

So sorry Lindsay I missed your comment, so please don't think I was rude! Yes, I think we all look at our forefathers and hope some of their evils don't infect our lives as well.

Robert Lindley

Date: 10/2/2015 9:30:00 AM

Slay them with light works better but some few are greatly armored to resist the light treatment. Those call for sincerest prayer for God's divine help..

Eve Roper

Date: 9/27/2015 11:48:00 AM

Love the way you carried your monsters for youth to adult. Very good poem I really enjoyed reading. Hugs Eve

Mark Woods
Date: 9/27/2015 1:02:00 PM

Thank you Eve, I knew I wanted to do this poem in the two parts but between you and me I spent a fair bit of time scratching my head how to achieve that.

Robert Lindley

Date: 9/26/2015 11:50:00 PM

Excellent writing and have seen and felt the same dark culprits.. A7 and adding this dark gem to my fav list.

Robert Lindley
Date: 10/2/2015 9:30:00 AM

Slay them with light works better but some few are greatly armored to resist the light treatment. Those call for sincerest prayer for God's divine help..

Mark Woods
Date: 9/27/2015 1:45:00 AM

Thank you Robert, I think we all have nagging worries in our mind and we just need to do our best to keep them at bay.

Miraj Raha

Date: 9/26/2015 9:42:00 AM

Your monsters are not different from any of us,and you ask some relevant questions which needs answering.Lastly remember,those screams in the dead of night should be shared,you might find a true friend who has similar monsters like yours.

Mark Woods
Date: 9/26/2015 2:09:00 PM

We will always have our monsters it's how we deal with them is that is important. Thank you Miraj

Caycay Jennings

Date: 9/26/2015 7:18:00 AM

Great rhyme and crisp flow that touches on the truth of what goes on in our heads. I think this is a great and relevant write ... CayCay

Caycay Jennings
Date: 9/28/2015 11:35:00 AM

Yes, indeedy - you met you 'fast' goal ... CayCay

Mark Woods
Date: 9/26/2015 2:12:00 PM

Did it read fast? I wanted it to read fast because terror shouldn't read slow. and as always thank you for your fabulous support : )

Nette Onclaud

Date: 9/26/2015 6:25:00 AM

You made me shiver with your gripping lines, mark.. greeat stuff!.. huggs

Mark Woods
Date: 9/26/2015 2:06:00 PM

That's good Nette (in a nice way), I think my bad dreams are no different to anyone else's. I'm hoping that shiver is because you can identify..