The Shadow of Elspeth Brown

The sky was grey on that fateful day,

The sun was going down,

I made my way through a field of hay

To the cottage of Elspeth Brown.

She lived alone by the forest there

And studied her ancient tomes,

Her Grimoires, Necronomicons,

And her hearth was filled with bones!

 

I’d loved the girl for a year or two

And I’d made my interest known,

She was torn, she said, by the spells in her head,

She needed to be alone.

I knew she was seeing another guy

He called when I wasn’t around,

‘He’s more like the shade of a ghost,’ she said,

‘I raised him, out of the ground!’

 

She looked distraught as she waved me in,

Her hair was a tangled mess,

A book that featured some ugly Djin

Lay open across her dress.

I’ve never been one for the ancient arts

Of Magick, or spells and glooms,

But Elspeth wanted to play her part,

Cast spells in the afternoons!

 

I saw a copy of Crowley there,

A copy of Dragon Noir,

The Grimoire of Honorius

Was scattered across a chair!

‘What horrible Djin have you raised up

From the terrible realm of hell?’

I laughed, but Elspeth began to frown

And conjured another spell!

 

‘Three bat-wings and a gouty toad

And a strand of a maiden’s hair,

A philtre of deadly nightshade stirred

With the leg of a wooden chair!

A third of a pint of hemlock, gathered

Close to the midnight hour…’

The sun was gone and the bright moon shone

Through the door of my lady’s bower!

 

I thought to say it was nonsense,

Raised my eyes and stared in the gloom,

And there was her patient shadow cast

On the whitewashed wall of the room,

A shadow hand ran up through the hair

So tangled, under her cap,

I looked again at my erstwhile friend,

Her hands were down in her lap!

 

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck

Rise up, and a breathless chill,

The shadow had suddenly straightened up

My heart was standing still,

Two horns curled out of the shadow’s head

Distinct on the further wall,

When Elspeth suddenly screamed, and said:

‘My skin’s beginning to crawl!’

 

She spilled the book on the oaken floor,

Jumped up and looked at the wall,

The shadow that she had claimed for her own

Was suddenly eight feet tall,

It raised its hands in a threatening way

Against all physical laws,

I went to say, in a blank dismay:

‘Those fingers look like claws!’

 

We rushed together, out of the door,

Her screaming, me in fright,

The moon was rising, up in the sky,

You couldn’t tell day from night,

The shadow followed, hard on our heels

And spread out over the ground,

I noticed it wasn’t attached to her feet,

But followed with never a sound!

 

It moved around, ran by her side,

And then I saw it ahead,

She stopped in horror, whatever she’d done,

She’d summoned a Djin from the dead!

‘You’ll have to set up an undo spell,’

I knew that she was to blame,

‘I can’t,’ she muttered, ‘I don’t know how,

He was here before you came!’

 

She wandered back to the cottage at last,

‘It’s only a shadow,’ she said,

‘I shouldn’t be worried, it won’t hurt me!’

I turned on my heel, and fled!

I’m such a coward with magical things,

I ran full pelt all the way,

Then lay in dread, hid under my bed

‘Til the sun came up, next day!

 

I finally plucked the courage up

To return to the cottage there,

I stood in the yard, and called on out:

‘Elspeth - come out if you dare!’

A shadow stood in the hallway

And my heart, it turned to stone,

As I read the note on the lintel post,

‘I want to be left alone!’

 

The sun was high in the morning sky

As I looked on down at my feet,

There wasn’t a sign of a shadow there,

My heart then skipped a beat,

For there on the inner whitewashed wall

And beyond the hallway Djin,

I could see two shadows, making love,

But I hadn’t the nerve to go in!

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Dinesh Sairam]

Wow, the ending is genuine and so good. Then again, I felt like the middle stanzas, depicting the 'shadow', are care-free and kind of feel funny to read- more like a children's book of horror poetry. Still, that doesn't change the genius of the verse. I just thought it could use a grimmer recitation.

Oh, and I like the name.. Elspeth Brown!

Keep writing.

[...]

Stunning! Absolutely stunning!

[Tate Morgan]

There is nothing, nothing the likes of you on this planet before or dare I say to come. Unique is the word I see in my head as my wife writhes and laughs at your latest incantation.You deserve the accolades and crown of thorns as King of the macabre.

[Poppie Mira]

a beautiful write. great poem. I always appreciate your writtings.

[Shin ( formerly known a..]

Like a child that won't leave its mother, who is constantly bugging her for some attention....I must say David, she finally managed to keep you outside while she is in her private thoughts about something.

[Lena M. P.]

Now this was gave me goosebumps! Watch you you conjure up; you might not like the boogie man :) Great tale and delicious ending.

[Emerald Seas]

A grand write, David. I enjoyed this very much. Such a well woven tale that kept my attention through to the end.

[icaros13]

Stunning and imaginative, this piece is colorfully and masterfully written. Your command of rhythm and rhyme is remarkable and your style eloquent and classic. Great story, poetic and artistic. Love it!

[Leah]

Phenomenal.