The Shadow Man

Halloween tale for children

To all BEWARE, don't climb the stair,
don't stumble tumble down.
For just behind the kitchen blind,
the SHADOWS roam the town.

They slide and glide, so run and hide,
promise me NO PEEPING.
Or they will see and believe me,
you'll wish you'd been sleeping.

Their fingers scratch the window catch,
and TAP upon the glass.
leaving their stain upon the pane,
as they so softly pass.

The sheets pulled tight hold back the night,
you're paralysed with fear.
You cannot speak, as floorboards creak,
to warn that they are near.

The door knob twists by unseen wrists,
the slowly pushed AJAR.
Your eyes grow wide as just outside,
you hear your daddy's car.

The Shadows wait for squeak of gate,
and your heart skips a beat.
As Daddy's voice, leaves them no choice,
as quickly they retreat.

Now check the hall and up the wall,
the ceiling and the floor.
But he has ran, that Shadow Man,
and wont come back no more.

So rest this night, be blessed, sleep tight,
let soft your night light GLOW.
To safely keep while your asleep,
from SHADOWS down below.

Author's Note

Just a Halloween for Kids idea as this night of Halloween is in truth my Birthday muhawawahaha ( evil laugh ) lol. Thanks to BAZ for the edits and the re-write suggestions.

Reviews

[Baz]

I decided to reread this, given the season that is in it. I have to say that this piece is even better than I remembered. Really clever rhyming scheme, very well constructed, but more than all that the story is completely engaging. A classic in the making. More like this please.

[Sakib]

Nice flow of the poem. I would love to read it again and again. It's a pleasant read and I liked how you crafted it. Nice write. :)

[Baz]

A very good Halloween offering, Shadow. You really do make it difficult for yourself with the complex rhyming schemes, and yet you seem to pull it off magnificently. Another winner.

[J Todd Underhill]

Loved it, you are so damned talented, I liked the interior rhyming as well. You are one to make me think... So much so that you were brought up at a dinner I had with my illustrator this evening. More on that to come!

[ATG]

This was a great poem. It flowed near perfectly from line to line. As a child, I'm sure this would be scary. For an adult (such as myself), this is very interesting. No matter what age someone is though, I'm sure they will find this as fun to read as I did.

[Daytonight]

This is such a perfect Halloween story for children. Love the rhyme and flow of this. Almost musical in its lyrics. Keep on penning dear brother.