This is my halloween offering, with apologies to Dylan Thomas.


Do not go gently into the night

Darling, stop the car;
I know the twilight cometh
But did you see that?
Over there in the bare barley field,
A ragged manikin against the sunset,
Arms outstretched like a boastful fisherman,
A solitary signpost pointing to nowhere,
And did you notice anything odd?
I'm certain I saw one of its gloved hands
Point toward me and beckon me near,
I did, I did, that's what I saw,
And as we passed I'm convinced its head,
As big as a harvest moon and just as orange,
Followed us to where we are now,
And so help me God, I swear I heard
It sing at 33rpm, 'Abide with me',
And didn't you think it strange
That there were no gleaning birds,
No tyre tracks, no friendly lights,
No farmers' markets, no... nobody,
Wait, what are you doing?
Don't open the door,
It's nearly dark now,
What! You're going down there
To put my mind at rest!
Wait, come back, come back!
Can't you see?
The scarecrow is heading for us... .


Chris Fernie, 2006





Poetry by Chris Fernie
Read 538 times
Written on 2006-10-17 at 23:35

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