The Bed Gremlin

An evil little gremlin lives under your bed; Yes! It's true! You can't see him but he sees you. Sometimes when it's real, real dark You might hear him run across the floor: pitty-patter, pitty-patter, on tippy toes… Not very loud, but he's there all the same. You can't see where he went Or tell whence he came. Lurking in the night, Barely out of sight, Waiting for you to put your arm Or foot over the edge of the bed; Then he'll grab you and pull you on the floor! Did you ever wake up on the floor? Well, that's why. Sometimes, for an evil prank, He'll give your covers a terrible yank And you'll wake up shivering and quivering. This gremlin isn't very friendly As you'll have realized. He even makes you dream terrible nightmares. That's what he does best of all. And even though he's very small in size He's got sharp pointy teeth to sink in your feet When you get up in the morning. From the ongoing series "Lucifera's Questionable Daycare Poems and Stories." It was included in my small collection Moonstill Tulip Wine and Others (Seattle: Duck's-foot Tree Productions, 1979).