Fantasms

I woke up
Abruptly one night
And found myself shivering
A fine sweat lining my temples
My breath was labored and shaky
I traced the room slowly
Noting how the shadows seemed to permeate
From each possible interstice

After a moment, something caught my eye
Or- someone
To this day I couldn't tell you which
It emerged from the darkness
Seeming to be formed by it
Yet something in its tincture
Distinguished the figure
From the surrounding environment
And there, as my eyes adjusted
The figure of a man stood
Like a fantasm before me

Then, in lines
White
Began to fall down 
Cutting through the shadowed skin
It fell down his head like blood
And down his cheeks like tears
Contouring perfectly to his face

The sight struck me as strange
The black of his face
Was made to appear almost like water
I opened my mouth to speak
Making eye contact by instinct
But my voice-
Was nowhere to be found
A look of complete commiseration
Inundated his face

The chill that woke me
Had been increasing gradually
I hadn't noticed
Due to these strange happenings
Now I was feeling then full fledged
Cold radiated through my body
Sending painful tremors through my bones
Inducing a fragile feeling
To what was supposed to hold strength

Do you remember being a kid?
How when you got scared-
You closed your eyes?
Like by some fluke-
That would make it all go away

That's what I wanted to do

And then he demanded, as if reading my mind
"Don't close your eyes."
His voice powerful and piercing
In the still silence
He said it once more, but as I shook my head
He screamed it
Sounding infuriated
I winced
And turn, closed my eyes
Just longer than the normal blink

In that instant
He was gone
The fading cold-
The only vestige of his existence

Reviews

[Lovecraft]

I adore the concept and words that you used in this poem. Almost sounds like a tale of an Incubus or the female version of the Hag. It's when men have night terrors about women or ugly old women who have sex/drain men while they dream.

Very good in its beautifully wrought dark theme.

Good job, Nicole, I love this one! ;)

[Nicole Laszlo]

Well that made me freaking happy. Interesting interpretation, and I'm glad that you enjoyed it. Thanks for the feedback! :)

[Lovecraft]

Your poem almost sounded like a visit from an Incubus, the male version of a Succubus. I really enjoyed this one. :)