Self-Analysis of Poem "Shh"

A self-analysis of a poem I wrote.

“Shh”

Night after night, 

I heard it under my bed.

Breathing heavily,

Waiting.

 

At first I told my mommy,

But she told me to sleep.

It was all in my head,

Now, not another peep.

 

I told her it was real,

But when she looked, 

It hid in my closet,

Or in the window nook.

 

Tonight, I hear it breathing,

And its claws clicking on the floor. 

I dare not get out of bed.

It would get me before I got to the door.

 

Here it comes now,

A scaly green thing.

With pulsing skin 

And a horrible head.

It's eyes pierce through the darkness,

yellow and all-encompassing.

 

It reaches out for me 

With its sharp, yellow, claws.

And before I can scream, 

Cradles me in its arms.

 

"Shh," It says,

A heavenly voice.

"It's alright now,

"My sweet little boy."

 

Before reading the analysis of this poem, which follows below, please comment on what this poem means to you, what you read into it, etc. (this shall be explained at the end of the analysis)

This is a poem I wrote, oh, about half a year ago, I’d say. I’ve gotten some reviews about it on the writing site where I post my writings (writerscafe.org) and have been told by several people that it is a creepy, chilling, and good, and that many people like the ending. I am very happy with these reviews, because that is exactly the direction I was trying to head towards with this piece. There is, however, more to this poem than just creep-factor (which is very rare for me, so cherish it, will you?)
            Obviously “Shh” is based on the fear of nearly every child that there is some horrible monster under their bed at night. I know I had this fear and know how real this threat can seem when one is so young. I took this universal experience and put my own, subtle twist at the end.
            The last stanza of the poem has the monstrous creature from under the boy’s bed cradling the child in its arms and telling him, in a soothing voice, that everything is alright. To many people this probably seems to be a part of a sinister plan to lure the boy into a false sense of security before devouring him, which is a very real possibility as the poem ends in such a way that the reader is left to create an ending for themselves. I enjoy doing this in my writing from time to time, because I feel that it gives the reader more of a connection with the story, in the sense that they are interacting further with characters, settings, and plots. Of course, this is a story writing tool that shouldn’t be used too often, for fear of readers thinking the writer is a lazy hack. Oops, seem to have gotten sidetracked! Back to the poem discussion…
            Now, while the terror-filled, off-print ending is a definite possibility, it is not the one that this writer had in mind when writing. In fact, take a look at the last stanza of “Shh”, show it, alone, to a friend, and ask them what they think the poem is about. It seems so different from the rest of the poem, doesn’t it? Well, that was intentional. No, really, it was! You see, the general theme of the poem, for me, was that of misunderstanding. The creature underneath the boy’s bed is not going to eat him; it is simply there to make sure everything is okay in his world, and protect him from dangers… possibly other, more sinister beings that exist.
            The idea to have this seemingly evil essence turn out to be a nurturer comes from another event that has probably happened to a lot of us. When we were young children, there was somebody that scared the bejesus out of us and we thought they were evil. Maybe it was the gravelly-voiced, gruff grandmother, or perhaps an aunt or uncle with an eye patch or nasty scar. What we didn’t realize was that, despite appearing to be the scariest people in the world, these people were only concerned for our safety and loved us dearly.
            With this idea in the context of the poem’s clichéd monster-under-the-bed scenario, the reader might take a look back and see a couple of interesting possibilities in the piece, as I have done while writing this self-analysis of it.(note: anything beyond this point is discoveries I, as the reader, not as the writer, found in the poem) One of the most fascinating ideas that I picked up is that there seems to be a greater connection between the boy and the creature under his bed than there is between him and his mother.
            The boy’s mother does not appear interested in playing along with the child’s fear, as so many parents would. When she does give in and look under the bed, she’s probably doing it with a sigh of agitation, and, no doubt, once is enough for her. Even her demeanor with the boy in the second stanza suggests that she isn’t interested in appeasing him for the sake of a good night’s sleep. Instead, she basically tells him to quit whining and go to bed, before snapping off the light and shutting the door.
            On the other hand, with the creature under the boy’s bed, there is a literal, physical connection. It cradles him in its arms and tells him that everything will be alright. It speaks with a “heavenly voice” that soothes him. This creature, that the boy once feared, has a much more motherly atmosphere to it then the boy’s actual mother, who, comparatively, seems like a distant and hard stranger. Fascinating…
           

Anyway, while this self - analysis has covered the “official” idea behind the poem “Shh”, I would love to hear what other readers read into the piece, because I think the imagination works best when there is more than one meaning. When we look at artwork, or read something, we draw our own ideas and meanings behind them. These are just as valid, I believe, as the artist or writer’s own meaning and idea that they envisioned when they created their piece.
            I thank you very much for taking an interest in reading this self-analysis and encourage you to read some more of my writings. After all, that’s why my work is out there, folks! Also, leave a comment on this, telling me how much you liked it or how much it made you want to punch kittens! I’m open to all comments!

Libenter vivere,
                        Joseph