The Monster

THE MONSTER

                                by Frank Halliwell
                                 Jimboomba, Australia.
                                  Public Domain.

               In the northwest foothills of the mount
               That's known as Tamborine,
               When the evening mists swirl up
               In a surrealistic scene,
               The landscape writhes beneath the moon
               And black-lined, scudding clouds,
               And in the swamps, the tea-trees
               Wear their foggy, dripping shrouds.

               When the purple shadows lengthen
               On the flanks of Tamborine,
               And the bleak wind wails in lonely gums,
               Then races on unseen,,,
               The somber ribbet of the frogs,
               The music of the night,
               And suddenly a hunting owl
               Glides by in silent flight.

               Amid the high-pitched cricket sounds..
               The lowing of a cow..
               A hint of sound just past that dam,
               The frogs fall silent now..
               And even the cicadas cease
               As if in deadly fear...
               The world stands still...
               There's not a sound..
               A silence
               you can
               hear.

               And then, a sobbing, strangled cry,
               like someone sorely maimed..
               The monster then, has struck again,
               Another victim claimed.
               It prowls around Maclean's bridge,
               Verses dripping from it's jaws.
               The locals live in terror
               Of that huge voracious maw.

               For years he's fed it bits of rhyme,
               To whet it's appetite,
               Then loosed it on a trusting world,
               One dark and dreadful night.
               The populace has vanished,
               From this land of brave, bold men..
               For Johnson's rhyming monster
               Is upon the land again !!!
  Dedicated to Don Johnson, of Nash road who must bear much of the responsibility for inflicting the monster on the world.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2013

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June 10, 2013 at 9:00 PM
Frank, a very cool and fascinating first poem on the soup.... This hear my friend is a sweet Welcome to Poetry Soup. Wishing you the best when it comes to your poems. I hope you get to meet all the nice poets around here. Starting with me. SKAT :-) Please drop a hello and tell me a little about yourself if you like. I would like to be your newest poetry soup fan....... God Bless........... Hugs* SKAT
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June 4, 2013 at 9:55 AM
A good dedication, i never seen him as a monster. but after reading your poem. I am considering the thought, Frank. Dropping in with a nice warm WELCOME to poetry soup. My name is Linda; and I’m from the humid state of Texas. I’m here to invite you on over to my latest contest. You will find the contest page on the top left hand side* please consider my contest* hopefully I can be one of your first poetry soup friends. If you ever need or want honest feedback on a certain poem let me know. Do not hesitate on clicking my name when you spot it on the soup. I look forward in following you and your poetry. Hope to hear from you soon. You will enjoy the community; we are one big happy family. (Drama & Love. LOL) ~ Always * Linda
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