The Beast of the Somerset Moor

Gather round, friends and I'll tell you a tale
A story of blood and of gore
About a strange figure, unearthly and pale
The Beast of the Somerset Moor.

Everything started one dreary, cold night
An evening, friends, much like this here
A woman ran into town screaming with fright
"The fell Beast of Somerset's near!"

The townsfolk ignored the old woman's plea
And went back to sleep in their beds
The beast set upon her, and clawed her with glee
The fearful, poor woman lay dead.

Quickly the beast stood up, much like a man
And hissed "hear ye, who'll take her place?"
When dead silence answered the beast, it began
To search at a frightening pace.

Happening on a small cottage so sweet,
Decided its meal was in sight.
Threw open the door with a motion so fleet
The old man inside died of fright.

Setting upon him, it swallowed him whole,
Then moved to its next victim's door.
To kill the whole town that night, that was its goal.
Then back to its home on the moor.

Unholy its swiftness, it swept through town
In minutes, it drenched it in blood
And with a full belly it creeped with no sound
Behind it a great crimson flood.

Blood soaked, the beast then retreated back home
Sated quite well by his feast.
Unleashed from his insides a horrible groan
The sun newly rose in the east.

Shading its eyes, the beast ran for its cave.
Unable to reach it in time
It realized tonight it had been far too brave.
And taken far too long to dine.

Frozen in sunlight, 'twas trapped on the moor,
Doomed there forever to stay.
The cruel sun arriving to settle the score,
And forcing the fell beast to pay.

Still the beast stands there, as solid as stone.
Though some swear 'til death that it's moved.
But no doubt immobile, it stands white as bone.
And so, there's no more to be proved.

But people go missing now and again,
And scratches I hear at my door.
It looks like the beast's disappeared from the fen
The Beast of the Somerset Moor.

Reviews

[Rocans]

Wonderful poem, its simplicity made it more effective at offering a fright. Quite a good narrative though the melody as I read it in my head was a bit broken sometimes with the length of the lines. But overall it was entertaining and pretty well written.