Chaotic winds
whir and wail all day
skewing clocks and towers
ponderous footsteps
of pumpkin
tainted night
twisted space
scattered light falls
like blades of rain
between the evergreen
a mutual transmission of
unusual potential horror happening
whirl of emptiness
a dead river
bone-eating road
murky sound shimmers
gradually from the strings of mirage
spatial queries galore
skeletal fingers pressing on pain and sores
chaotic winds herald
a slightly terrifying
muddied scene
contorted space
meager light pierces the dark
galloping horse flows into sight
dreams begin
festival and fantasy merge
clamor of dust disappears
silence after the explosion
a sole survivor
quiet gladiator
battle garb cloaked in endless skies
regalia of stars
tamed shadowy beasts of forest
strong sounds of symbols
breaths sink into deep sea
below the bed at midnight hide
a starry dream
swimming fish
drifting silence
translates wandering wraiths
into undecipherable scripts
on stones of grave.

Don't be scared in the face of darkness.
Let it cloak you inside its blankets.
There is nothing to see nor to hear
in this numbing cocoon - it's safe here.

Fear the light - it deceives, it blinds,
Lures you in with its warmth, but hides
gravest dangers right in the shallows.
Where there's light there're always shadows.

When a shadow crawls, reaches for you
It's too late to run. Your fate is doomed.

Goblins, ghosts, faeries, friends and foes
Witches, werewolves, warlocks, and even the crows
Vampires, skeletons, and angry jack-o-lanterns
Makes Halloween a treasure for all little patrons

We dress up in costumes and sheets
Then we do wander the city corridors and streets
Knocking on people's doors
Tens, no hundreds, of kids by the scores

Calling out, trick or treat
Just to get something sweet
Happy Halloween
Is such a perfect holiday scene

Vibrant kids, both young and old
Bravely enduring the freezing cold
Just to keep this custom alive
Hopefully it will endure and thrive

Pillowcases filled with candy galore
The older kids desire even more
But for me this Halloween night
Gives me pure pleasure at the very sight

Of spooky hobgoblins running here and there
Smaller children being led by their parents with care
Halloween definitely is a fun filled night
Costumes of all types fall within my sight

Young girls dressed up as Jasmine
Some of those kids are probably mine
Here comes my GI Joe
His successful ventures this night surely do show

A ***** alley filled with eerie sounds
Double mirrors, chainsaws, and scary clowns
Rabied hounds which chase us down the maze
Is something everyone craves

This is why Halloween is a special treat in the fall
But the most important of all
Is the joy of seeing all these little munchkins
Who have dressed up as pumpkins

Though I am now too old to don a cap
For Halloween treats, I'm still a sap
I see a familiar figure striding up the street, in his cowboy costume
Luckily none of them ever rode home upon a magical broom.

So this Halloween night
When everyone looks a fright
Be happy, cheerful, and alert
As each child their hands do insert

Into my candy filled cauldron
I sure have their complete attention
Me hopes they don't see the heavy, woven net
That will swoop down and capture you, my little pets

I'll take these children, yes, each one of them
And fill them with candy and cookie crumbs
Then send them home all fat and sassy
This Halloween night has been fantastically, classy

Written by:
Jason Cheney
October 2021

On Halloween
the monsters scare
in ghastly gray, both skin and hair
their one good eye will always stare
at where you hide
it sees you there

Vlad's favorite soup
was such a treat
eyeballs and skin slabs
and fingers and feet

he loved to ****
on the sockets and bones
and chew on the ears
and noses of crones

eyelids were good
on bread made with blood
but only if pureed
to look just like mud