THE HALLOWEEN VISIT

On Halloween of eighty-four,
at half past ten or maybe more,
I'd settled down to take a nap
when at my door there came a tap.
Oh my, I thought, who can this be
at this late hour to visit me?

I shuffled in my cozy shoes,
went to the peephole to peruse
whoever came to my front door
at this late hour in eighty-four.
But seeing no one in my sight,
I lay back down and shut the light.

When dozing off I heard a creak,
arose again to take a peek.
My front porch swing began to shake;
I thought oh my, for goodness sake!
What can it be, the wind is still;
must be those ghosts from Haunted Hill.

They've come to tease and frighten me --
they know I live alone, you see.
My body trembled head to toe;
I whispered, "Ghosts, will you please go?"
My heart was quivering in my chest
when I made this faint request.

Afar I heard a hoot owl call;
a cat commenced to caterwaul.
Street lights were blinking off and on,
and then those ghosts began to moan.
I was so scared I jumped in bed
and wrapped the covers 'round my head.

Next thing I knew the sun was bright;
it must have been a dream last night.
But when I rose to look outside
and open up the shutters wide,
the strangest thing I did espy,
and I could scarce believe my eye!

There, scrawled upon the window pane,
in ghostly white I saw my name,
and underneath in plainest view:
"A HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO YOU!"

Copyright © 2003 Ruth Gillis