Vicious Haunts of the Dead

Ghastly sights on the day of the dead frighten me, Zombie ghouls from the grave will arise from afar With a howl and a scream sodden ghost running free Come the fear of dying ‘neath the moon and the star. On a cold October autumn night keeping watch, Lest the hand of the witch grab my leg, drag me down From the rags of my shirt, a demon takes a swatch I do fear nasty grins of the mime-painted clown. Vicious haunts of the dead still doth lurk in shadows Like the pall of one corpse from the hole ever near, The poor soul freely hangs from old wooden gallows While I flee like a thief in the night out of fear. From the depth of my grief here on earth, you hear it, The deep sighs of my past are still here in spirit. Written October 17, 2022 [an English-style Sonnet 14 lines of 12 syllables each] Submitted to "All Hallows' Evening" Poetry Contest Sponsored by Craig Cornish POEM OF THE DAY Poetry Soup October 19, 2022