I stare at the face, companion to Jack,
lost somewhere between the shadows and light.
Guarding the porch steps, a guide in the night -
Or, when I turn 'round, to join evening's black?
I've never been trick-or-treating before.
Is it fun? Or will there be tricks, deceit?
Shall they leave me in the dark, to meet
a gray demon, dripping blood, in the door?
My knife stops moving as I reach the heart,
scenting the pulp in a foul-smelling whiff,
reminded of spilling entrails, I sniff,
glad pumpkins don't bleed, its insides, I part.
Now he leers with malice. I strike the flame,
Growing more and more anxious as he grins,
afraid he'll leap up, kill me for my sins -
now I'm sorry Halloween ever came.
I make the choice. Humpty-Dumpty-Jack falls,
his orange insides splattering on white.
Inside, lights turn on. I run out of sight,
lurking, shamed, in the shadows of the walls.
It was I nightmare, I went out of wack -
and then I know that it just can't be so,
for, sitting on the window sill, you'd know,
sits that foul, haunted, ghoulish grin of Jack.
Author notes
Really really weird. I know. It is true I've never been trick-or-treating before though.
A contest entry
- Jack-o-lantern by ea.
600 points, ended October 15, 2008, 14 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
-
oh you really made this sound so very sinister, crving of the pumpkin into the lantern.
I have only ever tried doing it once, and what a messy job it was too.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your entry to the contest. Nicely done. -
Jack o'lanterns freak me out to be honest, for they really are so ghoulish, with their wacked out grins and - i have a phobia of fire, so that doesn't go down too well either with me!
Never been trick or treating though? Ah kiddo, is it not done in your section of town? I'm 22, and I still like to dress up and go out on Halloween [although not door to door
] You must, if it's possible, experience it... *hugs* I'd take you myself if I didnt live on another continent! xDD
-
The great pumpkin massacre is upon us again! I guess we do take a lot of agression out on our Jacks and still, they keep smiling those ghoulish grins. Thanks for coming in for the pumpkin carving.
Adding your comment:
