The Monster & the Candle

I’d swear a monster lived in the hall

Of the house when I was young,

Just like the tiger under the bed

I could see when they were gone,

For I could hear him climbing the stair

When the house was fast asleep,

I knew he roamed around and about

When the stairs began to creak.

And then he’d enter my bedroom and

He’d re-arrange my toys,

That’s how I knew he disliked me, he

Kept all his tricks for boys.

He never bothered my sister, or

Disturbed her dolls and things,

Her bedroom was like a sanctuary

For her necklaces and rings.

He’d hide in all of the daylight hours

So he’d not be seen by them,

The others, who would make fun of me

When I warned them all again:

‘You wait, he’s going to take you out

He will catch you unawares,

You won’t be able to scream or shout

When he comes, and climbs the stairs.’

The winter months were both damp and cold

And the woodwork creaked and groaned,

It shrunk and stretched, it was getting old

And it hid the monster’s moans.

So I hid down by the bannister

And I tied a string across,

To trip him when he would climb the stairs,

I would teach the monster loss!

A storm was raging outside that night

And the wind howled through the trees,

The back door opened and flapped a lot

And let in a winter breeze,

I heard my father run down the stairs

And an awful cry and crash,

Then silence settled and fed my fears

Where the bannister was smashed.

I thought the monster was gone for good

With the service come and gone,

I thought he couldn’t survive that crash

And the crematorium,

But barely a week had passed us by

And the stairs began to creak,

So I placed a candle under the stair

And the place burned for a week.

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[R Smith]

things can get hairy when a kid lets his imagination run, this guy really took it too far, sounds like he killed his dad and burned down the house, a most unusual work for you David but with your always brilliant story telling what a journey we go on, bravo my friend :)

[TPK Stories]

Loved the twist at the end...

[minisla]

One way of dealing with the problem lol.

[V]

I like the pattern, the plot and the little twist at the end.

[Celie Rose]

Really enjoyed reading your poem. I gasped when the kid placed a candle under the stairs. I know it's not good burning the house down but, I had to chuckle at myself because that was so unexpected. Well written. Do keep writing!

[Breanna Riddle]

I love this! You always make such interesting stories with your poetry and i think it is really amazing. Great job. This was very humurous

[E G TEN]

Hello David, very relatable piece you've captured here in more
Ways to some than others. Kid's always do the darneast things,
And I believe we all had our moments. Storytelling at its finest,
Very cool, Thanks for the send'

[andrew mitchell]

love the climatic ending lol hahaha, great story!

[Avinash]

In childhood we do many innocently disastrous things. I remember burning my right hand while trying to make a bomb for peaceful purpose by taking out the explosive chemicals out of the firecrackers. Once I burned an entire house down while trying to raise a bonfire. Kids should be watched over else they would be by monsters and taken :)

[Valentine]

Sounds like something one of my 4 brothers would have done to scare us girls. Luckily dad and mom slept down stairs so we got to keep dad around for many years. Cute write for a quick trip backwards to my youthful days. Valentine