the dead of night

A Poem by Michael Hof

a poem challenge beginning with the line 'the dead of night was etched with screams'

The dead of night
Was etched with screams

A bloody death
His fate
It would seem

A stroll through the park
An hour ago on a lark

A beautiful night
Through the dark

The birds chirping
The sky lit red
From the dying embers
Of a sun that slumbers

Wearing a parka
With a cap on his head
He had no idea
That soon he'd be dead

He walked along
Through the park
Whistling a benevolent tune

Though, watched he was
By a marauder
In a dune

Craving his money
A worthless junkie
Just burning for that next hit

His sleepless eyes peering out
Looking for a wallet
Thinking "this is it"

Snuck up from behind
The man was blind
As the knife
Slipped rapidly into his spine

Once
Twice
Thrice

A mess
Illuminated
Shimmering red
By a nearby
Light

The man sprawled
Laying dead
The blood now filling
The space around his head

The marauder inspects
The wallet he won
Above the body of the man
Now done

The wallet
Empty
Besides the memories it held

Looking at the man
That he felled
No remorse was found

Only annoyance
At the man laying
On the ground

He jumps into a nearby bush
So he can get a better look
For the next prey he could
Ambush

Hoping for a fatter score
To quell the hunger
Of the junkie w***e

And the man now dead
Blood around his head
Meets his maker

Because of a walk
Through the park
He decided to take
On a lark

In the dead of night
Etched with screams