NIGHTMARE
        (homage to  Edgar Allan Poe)

looking into eyes made of smoke, asking
you to make ready-with it's breath
of death, telling you to suspend all belief
with it's thin lip speak, on a red-smeared
made to order coming  out of a
bleeding scar of disgust, sharp teeth
forked tongue, licking in-between- and then
the lines blur, as it  continues to spew lies
ready to show you, a world turned
upside down, still, wanting you, only
you to release more of its brethren
out into the world unless somehow you
crack the devil code, and then you look
deep inside a dark tunnel made of mirrored
glass creating splitting images of you staring back
albeit, a  distortional picture, like in a fun house
foretelling what's to come, unless you fight back
and then from out of nowhere a body-less arm
grabs a hold of you, won't let go unless, still  
somehow you wake yourself up from
this nightmare that has truly got you shaken
in a  show of will, you stir yourself from
sleep having eyes stay wide, you fight
with all your might, from the covers in
which you find yourself ensnared, you tremble
with relief, as your heart beats fast, sitting
up straight in bed, into the mirror on your
dresser showing a face you cannot identify
you open your mouth to scream, and nothing
comes out as you hold on, for its not over yet

By Michael Perry