The Dark, within,

In Bela Lugosi's shoes, I stagger and lurch

towards frightened children, waving and swinging,

carousing empty bottles round my head,

with a vampire cloak of plastic,

emphasising my hunch backed, broken teeth,

green in the moonlight and stale,

scared by the shadow of lunatic fire,

claws and tendons of steel,

dead mice as earrings,

rat's skulls as spoons,

spitting broken necked pigeons

into infancy's realm,

A shaved werewolf of myth,

a beast in a skin that's too small,

borrowed - not stolen,

from graves of our heroes and friends,

bolts in my neck,

other's blood in my veins,

living in dreams, under beds,

waiting and haunting for you.

Reviews

[Eilis]

Bela Lugosi’s shoes are big ones to fill. My first thought was that dapper vampire would not be pleased with the state of the creature wearing his shoes, haha. But, there’s a deeper story here. A kind of play between man and monster and trying to find balance.

Like being shaped by time and experience which also includes relationships, and finding ourselves at times a bit out of step with who we’ve become.

I really like this. It’s a bit dark, but like any good horror movie/story it piques the curiosity and drags you along because you want to know the how and why. And of course the eventual outcome. We’re left hanging a bit here at the end. Trembling in the bed above the black-plastic caped wanderer. Waiting to see what is next to come.

Seems that the shaved werewolf in the poem isn’t quite sure, either, which makes the suspense that much greater. I see this as part of the larger travelogue series of poems I’ve read from you. A tough period perhaps.

But the ending is great, because it reminds that the ending is never settled until it’s settled.

A lot of vivid darkness here, but in context it makes its own kind of sense in my head. Hunger being a right beast on its own at times. And life pressing in. I’ve probably got it all wrong.

But, I do like this poem very much. The dark tones of creativity and the visceral nature of it.

[gram linski]

seem to remember at the time, this was meant to be slightly more light hearted affair, with the man monster mash up being like cartoon monsters, thanks as always, Eilis, did you ever see that freaky video for Mezt Shnaps with the Judder man

[Eilis]

The satirical edge is there, definitely see it. I haven’t seen that video. Will have a search, though when you say freaky I’m not 100% sure I want to see it, haha.

[Onlyme]

Very vivid spooky, let alone creepy and dark, what your nightmares are made of. Makes you want to leave the light on after dark. In case anything goes bump in the night.

[gram linski]

Thanks Dawn, sweet dreams, lol

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i grew up on Shock Theater...which was the fifties version of Creature Features...and Bela was always one of my favorites...
this is creepy good with vivid imagery...
i am looking under the bed tonight before retiring...
j.

[gram linski]

Thanks, j. sleep tight, goodnight,

[Coyote Poetry]

I did enjoy the poetry. You made the words come alive. You create vision and craziness with the good description. Thank you for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[gram linski]

You're welcome, thanks for reading and enjoying

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Indeed inside, from loved ones leaving us, resides the beast of hurt and guilt. The twins that keep the churning flowing hate and self loathing and anger flowing.

[gram linski]

Like the old proverb says, "Feed us both," sang the wolves

[Ghost writer]

the picture you paint of this monster is very good, if feels real, like what we all pictured being under our beds or in our closet when we were kids, also the way you told it was good like you were telling a story I could imagine going on for a long time.

[gram linski]

Thanks WeakFreak, monsters hide in plain sight every day

[Ghost writer]

I completely agree, we were always told they lived under our beds, but we've been walking past them on the street since we were kids.