 | Genre: Verse | Sub-category: Hallowe'en | Word count: 175 |
Feast of the Dead
Across the moonlit evening sky
cackling witches travel by;
while in a graveyard far below
signs of movement start to show.
A hand, an arm, a head as well,
emerges from its earthy cell;
and soon a rotting, putrid figure
stands erect with growing vigour.
Belinda, working late again,
starts for home at half past ten;
unaware it's Hallow's Eve
when dead men walk, so some believe.
She walks apace because it's late
and shortly makes it to her gate.
The house resides in shadows deep;
soon she'll have a chance to sleep.
She hears a moan, a fearful sound,
stops to turn and look around;
doesn't dare investigate –
she isn't one for tempting fate.
At the door she drops her key,
as something brushes past her knee;
startled, she recoils thereat,
before she sees a mangy cat.
"Shoo!" she says and bending down
tries to turn the stray around –
instead she fronts a different beast
intent upon a gruesome feast.
Her end is swift – such easy prey!
the restless corpse goes on its way.
Comments: This won a Hallowe'en comp. On the strength of that, I made an audio, using my best BBC voice. You can hear it here: Feast of the Dead audio
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