The sun is setting on All Hallows’ Eve
And here on the suburban heath
I watch what happens when horror walks masked
Through half-lit streets up to front doors.
Harmless tricks on family yards and hearth stones,
Boys in warm red hunting caps,
Young girls in pink making hearts beat nearby,
Costumes, homemade haunted houses
And hearing hounds howl to the hunter’s moon
The horror lies here but hidden.
Housed in offices, homes and certain heads;
A havoc of hopelessness and hurt
“How?” we ask from hill fortresses of bones
Suits can’t clean the bloody stained hands
When knowledge of dire hunger demands haste
And we hearken not to a “Help!”
Just heeding the hum of dull screens and honks
Of car horns and heckling hedonists
Within hectic lives pursuing happiness
The hawthorn bushes and hedgerows
Wither before the coming hour of doom
When we will be heaved into wealth’s hecatomb
http://jinglepoetry.blogspot.com/2010/10/poetry-potluck-halloween.html
http://jinglepoetry.blogspot.com/2010/10/poetry-potluck-halloween.html
Just a note to those who enjoy new words: The word hecatomb basically means a sacrifice of many victims (OED). Here I'm using it both in that sense and playing on the word by using it to refer to an actual tomb. The rhyme with the title is intentional and to the point.
ReplyDelete(By the way, the word hecatomb originally referred to Greek and Roman public sacrifices where they would sacrifice 100 oxen.)
how hard it must have been to use so many "h" words...Happy Halloween :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the explanation off hecatomb and how your used it. Very effective poem. Good work, Fyodor.
ReplyDeleteVictoria
http://liv2write2day.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/jingles-poetry-potluck-all-hallows-eve/
Yes, the horror is not the goblins and ghosts.
ReplyDeletebloody marvelous
ReplyDeleteA good one, I liked it so much... specially the last few lines...
ReplyDeleteॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Twitter: @VerseEveryDay
Blog: http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com
A great write and thanks for increasing my vocabulary!
ReplyDeleteJust heeding the hum of dull screens and honks
ReplyDeleteOf car horns and heckling hedonists
Within hectic lives pursuing happiness
The hawthorn bushes and hedgerows
Wither before the coming hour of doom
When we will be heaved into wealth’s hecatomb
...
vivid description of the creepy night, a delightful ending is in sight,
beautiful entry.
you are rich in wordings.
love it!
ReplyDeletegreat post- the horror is all around us...very true
ReplyDeleteHoly H-word Heaven! Nicely done!
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your comments! Much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteGreat writing, haunting thoughts for ...
ReplyDeleteThe hidden horrors...I really liked that. It's true - so much more horror then is ever on display on Hallowe'en.
ReplyDeleteThis was simply awesome! You started off on such a light note, and then it became so grave and so full of message... I was absolutely taken by the twist the poem took! Very impressive!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this fine poem with poetry potluck... it's our pleasure to have you here!
Thank you all for your comments. I appreciate them all.
ReplyDeletePlease help giving (belated) birthday wishes to 3 or 4 fellow poets:
ReplyDeletehttp://jingleyanqiu.wordpress.com/2010/11/03/happy-birthday-eric-dom/
Thanks a lot for the support.
Happy November!
Your presence adds light to our space, keep shining!
xxx
Clever going, Fyodor! Nice work. Hope you had fun with your "H" poem and with Halloween. Nice to have you among us.
ReplyDeleteOn Jingle Poetry you as for links to the sites I mentioned in the interview Tracy did of me. These include a range of levels and skills and I have comment there in response to you with the links. Enjoy.
Poem on ...
Thanks for the links. I appreciate it. I'm already enjoying them.
ReplyDeleteWhen we will be heaved into wealth’s hecatomb - great line. Enjoyed the poem top to bottom. Nice blog, I think I'll be back
ReplyDeleteCheers mate
Luke @ WordSalad