The Caravan at Coffin Cove

I said, ‘We’re going to Coffin Cove

For the first weekend in June,

I’ve booked us a seaside caravan,

Under a bloodshot Moon,’

Giselda turned for a moment then

And she looked at me, wide-eyed,

‘I’ve just come out of the hospital,

You know that I nearly died!’

‘Why would you pick on Coffin Cove,

Isn’t that testing fate?’

‘That figure of death is out of breath,

He got to your bed too late.’

She’d had a terrible accident

And they thought she’d not survive,

But for a scar and the wreck of a car,

Here she was back, alive.

Giselda believed in portents and fate,

And something about the stars,

I said whatever the portents were,

She’d been driving the car.

‘We hold our fate in our own two hands,

And yours just slipped on the wheel,

But though you bled, that scar on your head

Has just taken time to heal.’

So off we travelled to Coffin Cove

On the long weekend in June,

The caravan sat there on the sand

While the skies were dark with gloom.

We’d heard a storm was heading our way

Though we’d both be snug inside,

The beach was clear for the time of year

So Giselda swam, and dried.

The wind came up as the clouds rolled in

So we shut and locked the door,

With lightning crackling overhead

She huddled up on the floor,

She hated thunder, and lightning too

Then it rained, and turned to hail,

The noise was deafening there inside

Then the wind began to wail.

The van would rock as the wind would gust

So I held Giselda tight,

The storm just wouldn’t let up, it raged

And roared all through the night,

We could hear the sound of the crashing waves

And they seemed outside our door,

Then the van took off, we could tell as much

By the movement of the floor.

I opened one of the windows just

To take a look outside,

Giselda said, ‘Are we floating off?’

And I must admit, I lied.

The breakers crashed in a sea of foam

And we seemed far from the shore,

I said, ‘Don’t worry, this van is tough,

It could float for evermore.’

As midnight struck on my mantle clock

Giselda jumped, fell back,

‘Who’s that,’ she pointed along the van

To a shape, all dressed in black,

Its hood half covered a grinning skull

And it held a wicked scythe,

Then in a rattling gravel voice,

‘You’ll not long be alive!’ 

I couldn’t speak for a moment there,

The sight just took my breath,

I said, ‘Just what do you want with us?’

‘I’m here to bring you death!

I reign supreme over Coffin Cove

As you should have known full well,

I waited, knowing you’d wander in

To the seventh circle of Hell!'

The van was tumbling in the waves

And turning round and round,

‘I won’t be using my scythe today,

The two of you will drown.’

But then a thunderous, monster wave

Threw me down on the floor,

And underneath us was solid ground,

We’d landed up on the shore.

The evil figure rose up at that

And turned to a greying mist,

Then suddenly he had gone complete

As she and I had kissed,

We burst on out through the open door

And we cried, ‘We’re still alive!’

‘Don’t bring me again to Coffin Cove,’

Giselda said, ‘Just drive.’

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Barbz]

You are very funny, DLP, taking this lady, who just survived a near death accident, newly out of the hospital, on a weekend to Coffin Cove! I know you wrote this with that devilish smile in your head. hah!!

[Tony Jordan]

Re this line "Giselda swam, and dried..." - if I know you DLP that was put in deliberately to make us speed readers go - oh God she's dead already !! Yes it caused a little whiplash to me in terms of a swift double-take! (My lawyers will be in touch)

Another instant classic from the man in black (stove-pipe).
:)

[Valentine]

Just drive!!!!! After that experience I would think he would be to shaken up to even remember how to start the car. Valentine

[JerryB]

Hah! Sometimes you just don't understand when you are safe and secure, i seems. This scenario could be placed in in many difficult situations where common sense is sorely lacking. I really enjoyed reading this tongue-in-cheek write, and I have to believe that you enjoyed composing this funny poem. Thank you!