The Pleasure of Mystery on Halloween

author's note:

There's bad scary and then there's good scary.

Have a good scary Halloween!


THE PLEASURE OF MYSTERY ON HALLOWEEN

Voices mixed with footsteps
from some revelers in silhouette
echo from the cross street
a block from my house--

the words unclear--distorted.
Maybe those shadows are alien beings.

Well, that’s alright--
I don't want to feel safe tonight.

Those echoes ring within me
as I sit here on the porch--
I’m being invaded--
a chill thrills my belly

and that’s just what I want
tonight.

But then the party-goers go on--
the alien echoes die.
I sigh

then listen to the silence
--the emptiness--
both outside and in...

Suddenly the world is perfect:

I'm as deep and as dark and as bright
as that witching-hour sky.

And I realize:
I’m an alien in an alien universe

and you, you’re an alien too!

But that’s alright
I don’t want to feel safe tonight.

© 2020, Michael R. Patton