The Watcher from the Door

I saw the elfin man stand All night, stood by my door Too terrified to cry out, For my Mother to implore My head, unsteady With the flu My heart beat it To flame And there I lay Too scared To cry...to scream... My voice had fallen lame. That elfin...little green man All night... held me in sway My gaze he kept, as fever leapt I prayed God, for the day He stood... Just stood there, Facing me, but who he was I couldn't see... My burning temples ...sick, sick, sick... The clocks dull moments ...tick, tick, tick... Beat away the long night Held in horror at his sight Flames ebbed in Streaming droplets That gripped me Near breath's flight Chills shook me long, Fears took me... Throughout that hellish night He stood there simply watching me... Waiting to snatch my soul... To exit me through life's door, Into deep and dark sheol... I terror struck just lay there Had I but courage to explore, Or loose my stricken parched tongue, For "Mother!!!"...to implore Greying dawn brought tears to ease My burning, straining eyes When God turned on His lantern, There, much to my surprise... That greenish thing Now lost his sting, No Elf, as I'd believed An empty green pop bottle, And My childish heart relieved