The Bogeyman

Soaking wet the grey sheep huddle
by the stone wall shaped and laid
to last five hundred more years still.
Rains sheeting o'er the moor leave 
us dripping as the fish in Foley's Tarn.
Clouds careen across the sky like 
ragged flags unfurling, our house is
battered by the storm's relentless wrath,

and something's coming...

It's nights like this that bring the creature 
from the other side of time, misshapen 
wretch with no measure of humanity,
dragging its loathsome body to our door.
Squelching abomination with dark sockets 
for its eyes, a travesty of decency and grace. 
Not marked in any almanac, no picture 
of this beast save in the nightmares 
of our child, who flies into his mother's 
arms and trembles, trying to scrape 
the ugly specter from his mind,

for he knows...

he can feel the slimy presence
hidden deep within the shadows 
of the house. Is it living only in his 
darkest fears? Once settled is he 
free of fang and claw?

"Leave the light on, Mom!"
Copyright © | Year Posted 2012

Poem

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Culverhouse Avatar
June 9, 2012 at 8:27 PM
yes the saving grace of the porch light!! good one!
Cooper Avatar
June 7, 2012 at 3:09 PM
wow! I like this one more then the two I just posted today lol Your writing is amazing! When will you have a book published I would love to trade ya mine for yours!
Eastman Avatar
June 5, 2012 at 5:45 PM
You have a tremendous way of pulling us into your thoughts and making it seem very real. You are an amazing writer.
Wesley Avatar
June 5, 2012 at 2:31 PM
Creepy Keith, got the hair standing up and a lump in my throat. You manage to get a rise out of me every time I open a poem of yours. Great write! :) Luv, Lizzy
Bauer Avatar
June 5, 2012 at 2:06 PM
love the "clouds careening" and the other equally vivid imagery in this poem. wonderful ending, too!
Suzadail Jr. Avatar
June 5, 2012 at 11:20 AM
Keeping that light on always helped. A little noise in the dark is worse than a firecracker going off with the light on.
Christian Avatar
June 5, 2012 at 11:16 AM
lovley poem we used to joke about the bogey man when we were kids, used tow atch horror films then check under the ebds no one was there hahahah lovley God bless you from diane
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