The Haunt

By Giampi

g-bianch@uniandes.edu.co

 

Once there was a darkest night

Bathed in Selene’s ghostly light

On which I ventured, torch in hand

to meet with friends of long ago

Us Chosen few, we hallowed souls

Did choose this day, this All Hallows

To reunite and weave our webs

of merry, song, and mandragore.

 

 

My fancy flew with memories

Of travel and of victory

Of evils vanquished yesteryear

that we had never seen before

My step was light, my breathing quick

My blood was bubbling, just as thick

As Neptune’s clay when once he crafted

forms of poets of long ago.

 

 

A voice then clamored: “Is that so?”

 

 

The chilling voice had called to me

From further than my eyes could see

A query sent by unseen lips

to puzzle me or bring me forth

I became a rigid stone

In my fear I was alone

I drowned in air while standing there

just hoping it was nothing more.

 

 

Quickly courting Lady Luck

I turned, befuddled and awestruck

To find an apparition there

as such that lives in haunted lore

A crooked grin, a muted face

A walking shade, a cursed lace

The ghost cast not a shadow there

as he then spoke, same as before.

 

 

“How now, must you go so soon?”

The specter then began to croon

“I yearn to be with someone who

can prove to be beyond a bore.”

With that said, his figure swayed

And in my mind, a raven played

And metaphors then danced about

inside my head, first to, then fro.

 

 

I rejected such demands

And turned to leave the haunted lad

When icy hands of Boreas

did anchor me and tightly hold

“You mustn’t leave” sighed he, despairing,

For my breath and idle daring

Birthed within him such deep sorrow

as to hold my earthly form.

 

 

Physically I tried protesting

The lost soul, meanwhile, was caressing

Thoughts and dreams of those who were

my all, my after and before

Such delight he had not seen

My friend, my ally, and my queen

I stole away, before his hands could

take my spirit any more.

 

 

Off my head, my cap he tore.

 

 

Eos then did come to me

The moonlight fading gracefully

And finally I reached my brethren

whom I truly did adore

My friend, my ally, and my queen

I did then greet, and as it seems

They did then notice that I glowed

with weariness and with mental gore.

 

 

They then did see my ghostly haunt

Who, somehow, now did nothing want

And hovered with my cap on top

of whitish locks, combed into folds

“I thank you” came a voice so clear

I could not hope to feel such fear

“For having me on this night of nights,

I will now trouble you no more.”

 

 

His figure did then fade away

His figure gone, my cap there lay

The happy haunt which mischief made

was now part of the nevermore

My friends and I, in silent mourning

Paid respect that very morning

To the one who held me in the

icy grip of his death throes.

 

 

All Hallows passed, the netherworld

Did call its vassals, close its doors

And shut the living out from worlds

where spirit-folk do heave and ho

I yearn for when the night of nights

Will come again, so that I might

Share tales with he who proves to be

much more than just a ghostly bore.

 

 

So ends my tale; there is no more.