I was going to wait until Halloween to post it, but decided to go ahead - after all, this was probably the time of year I wrote it. I had gone to the woods to think (or get away from my brother or the dusting), and our dog scared me. So I wrote a poem that wasn't about a scary dog at all.
[Note: I didn't edit it at all - this is exactly how I wrote it in my journal - so we all have to live with "loomin'" Sorry!]
Death’s Forest
The pool was dark,
The shadows forbidding.
The rickety bridge
Told tales never-ending.
The trees that stood tall
Seemed unnaturally human.
They leered at me, laughed
With jeering branches loomin’.
The wind whistled loud
And the voices began.
I wished myself far away
From this eerie land.
“Go home Melissa,”
The wind seemed to say,
“Leave the wood quickly
Or you’ll never get away.”
I wanted to flee,
To leave this strange place
But when I turned to go
I saw his face.
He began to speak
His voice very low,
“I’m Death Melissa.
But, surely, you know.”
_______
They say that I’m daft,
That my mind will never mend.
They say that I’m lying.
That it was branches, and wind.
But the children know I’m not lying,
That my mind isn’t wrong.
And they don’t go to the forest
Where Death sings his song.
I enjoyed the rhyming structure of your poem and the way you were able to fit this frightening tale so craftily into the constraints. Very clever writing at such a tender age, Bug. Impressive.
ReplyDeleteA remarkable poem for one so young. You've always had a gift with words, it would seem.
ReplyDeleteYou were 12? Amazing!
ReplyDeleteI won't be going in the forest with Death, either.
Excellent last 2 lines.
ReplyDeletex
Wow Dana, when you were 12 or 13! As we would say in Afrikaans: "Sjoe" :-)
ReplyDeleteTo maintain a consistent tone and voice and persona in a narrative poem at such a young age, let alone rhyme and meter, is impressive. Even more wonderful is that you continue to write and grow as a poet. How satisfying for you!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great poem, even for an adult.
ReplyDeleteVery, very nice.
ReplyDeleteYay! And why worry about loomin'?
ReplyDeleteWe're always roamin' in the gloamin' over here.
Love the phrase, "don't go to the forest where death sings his song." Very good scary poem.
ReplyDeleteLoved it. Can't believe you were so young when you wrote it. Very nice
ReplyDeleteYup, probably not one for the travel brochure but great fun and damn scary!
ReplyDeleteYou wrote this at that age? I am so impressed! I was still writing very bad love poems, I'm sure.
ReplyDeletewhew....haha...this was fun and scary...i grew up in the forest with a graveyard as well so i def saw things in the woods...
ReplyDelete