Is there a better tradition than Halloween?
When I was a child, cloaked in the velvety darkness,
The night felt like it was crackling with electricity, possibility.
Swapping candy, riding the trailer, being out late on a school night;
I realized from a young age nothing emboldens you like friends and the nighttime.

When I was a freshman in college, I saw Rocky Horror for the first time.
"Creature of the Night" rings in my ears as I
Put on makeup,
Take a swig of *****,
Place on the final touches of my costume.

Halloween becomes a blurred vision of masks, laughter, and kisses.
Locking eyes across a room,
I am more alluring as
Daisy Buchanan
Holly Golightly
A fairy
Mary Poppins
Alice in Wonderland.
They're all cute, animated, familiar, warm.

Each day after Halloween is a sickly feeling,
nausea from overindulgence
I will always be emboldened by the night.

crash.
  burn.
   rise;
    from the cigarette ash spilled on the bed.

If before eleven,
I should pass,
Peacefully into the Sandman’s grasp,
I hope you know I wish you a Good Night.

But if I manage to withstand,
My drooping eyelids and slowing brain,
Then, perhaps,
I’ll wish you Sweet Dreams.

With the moon glancing into my window
And a quilt hugging my body
The wind moaning
And whistling
I become a ghost
Hovering
Through
From one world
To another
Evaporating
into a
new womb
Ready to be again.

-Sindi K.

@Sincidyy

laying on my back
in that field,
the unending expanse so close
to my touch.
i reach up
and attempt to graze a star
with my fingertip,
but instead only emptiness
reaches me,
the cool nighttime air
swirling around my hand.
my arm lowers to my side again
and my sight flows
over the stars,
like scattered moondust
in the inky sky.
as they twinkle their way
into my soul,
into my being,
i notice
a solitary wisp of cloud
lingering before the moon,
dulling its details
but never its glow.
crickets chirp around me,
fireflies blink
and fade in and out of view,
dancing just above the grass.
the air is damp
and i am vaguely aware
of the water droplets
seeping through my blanket
and into my clothes.
i swear
i can almost see the lines
connecting each star
to form constellations.
i sigh,
stand up,
roll my blanket,
and make a promise to the night.

i will return.

-l.s.

Night has fallen, my head hits the pillow,
Knowing there will be kisses tomorrow,
Kisses, embraces, love at every sight,
There upon daybreak, gives me peace at night.

Night has fallen, eyelids darken my eyes,
Knowing there will be an end to all lies,
Truth, joy and happiness, hope in my hand,
There upon daybreak, I now understand.

Night has fallen, I slip into my dreams,
Knowing there will be love real as it seems,
Love, adoration, anticipation,
There upon daybreak, heartfelt elation.

Night has fallen, all my thoughts of your smile,
Knowing there will be kisses all the while,
Kisses, embraces, love you in my sight,
There upon daybreak, but for now good night.

Dark.
Quiet, quite.
The fan blows cool air on my skin.
Cats yowl nearby, the shuffling of cat litter
Makes sounds like oceans waves,
or so thought Mr Crick.

This is the witching hour.
310 and the mind starts to wonder,
Screens flicker, thoughts bicker.
314 and other transcendental numbers,
Infinites and clocks and super-tasks.
315 and the demons rise from the red room
Existing only in minds and movies.

Surely this is nearing the time that
I last rose from slumber
All those nights ago and begged for forgiveness
Metres from sleeping bodies?
Did I see it then?
Do I trust them?

I wonder still.
The chromosome lights
Flash like neon signs
Briefly spelling out notes
With no context or chronology.
Cats, Pi, oceans, light, ***, but only in passing.
Every seven seconds is surely impossible.
Pink elephants she told me not to think about.

So random. No context.
Nonsense without meter or rhyme.
Is it the point? Maybe.
It doesn't to anybody except me.
And when I die I will take all meaning
And leave none
For you will have to make your own
Like everybody else.
Like I did.

Are we alone?