The Scarecrow

The scarecrow was always there

Part of the scenery

It had a simple job to do

To scare the birds

That should have been that

Then it changed

It began to watch him

Following his every move

Baiting him

Some days he would walk up to the top field

Just to get behind it

It didn’t matter

It would just turn and mock him

One night he made up his mind

To burn it to death

Finally, kill it off 

He was beyond reason now

Running into the field like a man possessed

The scarecrow was gone

Just disappeared

He had to get back to the house

Just had to get back

It was looking out the window at him

The scarecrow was in the house

Laughing, mocking him, sending him totally insane

They found him that way, totally mad

Driving off past the field to the mental hospital, the ambulance drivers noticed the scarecrow

 Something bloody frightening about scarecrows don’t you think

 Yeah, it’s as if they’re following your every move.

Reviews

[Jennifer Patino]

It's creepy enough in a literal sense, but when I think deeper, it invokes the feeling of such strong paranoia. Whether the scarecrow is watching or not, that chill down my spine when I feel eyes in the dark is perfectly captured here. The lightheartedness of the prose doesn't take away from its scare factor value. It actually adds to the horror. As if we're to think "Sure, no big deal, right?" while we're shaking in fear. :) Very excellent work.

[Paul Bell]

Funny how something with stitched on eyes can scare the crap out of you. Must be the bogeyman in the cupboard syndrome. To parents still tell kids that, or is it just mine. lol

[Jennifer Patino]

I'm not sure. haha A handful of movie scenes involving scarecrows & a Goosebumps book I read as a kid are enough to make me weary of them. :D My favorite Wizard of Oz character is somehow the Scarecrow though...I have no explanation for that. haha

[Paul Bell]

That's Tin man syndrome. lol. Mind you, we're off to see the wizard sounds quite dodgy these days.

[barleygirl]

I love this as an allegory . . . now what does the scarecrow represent? I love how you leave this dangling as a nebulous question. I love the part where the scarecrow inhabits this narrator's house, which is the stage of crazy I've just recently entered myself . . . where I can't tell the scarecrow from the mirror. You put the FUN back in dysfunction! I love how you never take our weirdnesses seriously. (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Paul Bell]

That scarecrow is better dressed than me.
Do they actually scare birds.

[Marina]

Bloody birds, cawing conspiringly all the time. I was in UK for a week, and they were everywhere. Visited an abandoned monastery and almost shat myself when a crow jumped out of some ruins in front of me.
Other than that, love this, it goes on fast, keeps you on your feet.

[Paul Bell]

Were the bars shut, or were you just going through a religious phase. Quite fancy being buried in a monastery and haunting it at the weekends.

[Marina]

It was the middle of the day, no pubs on sight, so that was the next best thing.
But, mashed peas as a side? Seriously?

[Paul Bell]

What are mashed peas all about, no wonder the French hate us.

[.]

I'd deeply appreciate this poem. People barely can imagine such composition but this is just great. I'll keep an eye on your latest poems. I liked them for sure. :)

[Paul Bell]

Glad you liked it.

[gram linski]

haha, , if Stephen King wrote Wurzil Gummage this would be the plot, thought this was great

[Paul Bell]

Why are they bringing Wurzil back.

[gram linski]

they did a Christmas special written and directed by Mackenzie Crook, was alright, quite funny

[I Am Svetlana]

Wow...very sinister and creepy, this one! I certainly enjoyed it. I always had a thing when it came to scarecrows when I was younger, that they were watching me like security cameras...that they just know what you're doing all the time...I really liked how you took an inanimate object and gave it life, a purpose, a story. Wonderful!

[Paul Bell]

Do they actually scare the birds or just the humans.

[emmajoy]

' It began to watch him - Following his every move - Baiting him - Some days he ... '

An incredibly creepy yet plausible post. There's a look in the often rigid limbs and empty faces of scarecrows that have a demonic look! What does it for me is the name.. SCARE CROW.. any creature that can send a cawing chaos of crows off and away must surely have something powerful in its invisible heart. That static staring creature could hide a mass of evil spells.. who's to know!

[Paul Bell]

Definitely, creepy bloodythings. lol

[emmajoy]

Definitely. give me a wren any time.

[Paul Bell]

My mind was going somewhere else there. lol

[emmajoy]

Definitely not asking!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i really like this...i think the Scarecrow symbolizes those decisions that haunt us. The past is something we often look at over our shoulder...and it can be so scary that guilt can drive us crazy.
j.

[Paul Bell]

For sure, everything dark is the scarecrow.