Night Rider

Upon the haunted, magic air
A sound is heard in the dark somewhere;
A creak of wood, as gears are churned,
A carousel begins to turn.

A siren song that calls a child
To find these horses running wild,
Whose painted mouths say: Join our game!
He leaps the one he wants to tame.

The laughing boy holds tight the pole
And hugs the wooden horse of old.
Watching the dark town flashing by
He takes the forbidden midnight ride.

The painted eyes begin to gleam
And shadows flicker close like dreams.
Front hooves rise in a sudden rear
As the boy now clings to flesh and fear.

He turns and looks for one last time
As the leave the carousel behind.
The maddened horse in nightmare flight
Rides the boy into the night.
They leap the earth in an endless rush
And hopes of childhood turn to dust.
The dark night turns to seek the dawn
But against the stars the boy is gone.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2018

Poem

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Wolves Avatar
January 11, 2020 at 4:24 PM
this is an IT kind of creepy write, well done
Fairchild Avatar
July 18, 2019 at 7:02 AM
Oh, wow. This is fantastic! The rhythm really keeps the carousel spinning, right up to the final word. There is an old song by Franz Schubert, which this reminds me of, if not exactly in subject, then, in tone. It is called, Der Erlkonig, and it gallops along right up to a final stunning end, like your poem does. Read the translation first, then hear the music, if you like. Marvelous poem, yours!
Bush Avatar
July 21, 2019 at 7:26 PM
Thank you so much, Andrew, I love the Erl-King by Goethe, and yes, you give me the highest compliment by mentioning it with my own poor rhythm.
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