A Halloween Hymn

A cousin to Ebenezer Scrooge

had been part of a similar scene;

he’d had the same issue that Scrooge did,

though his problem was Halloween

 

“What is the point of this madness,

for children to roam in the streets,

threatening naughty behavior

at refusals to hand over sweets.”

 

“Humbug!” he said with a scowling,

declaring the holiday cursed.

His door and his heart were locked tightly

Each October the thirty-first.

 

Last year an uncanny occurrence

changed his peevish mood fast;

he had three ghostly night visitors ~

Halloweens Future, and Present, and Past

 

Past, she showed him his boyhood

Halloween then, joy ignited;

With Present, he witnessed a party

to which he had not been invited.

 

The third spirit would be the clincher,

one that would strike our friend dumb;

just as with Scrooge years before him,

the Ghost of what was to come.

 

He looked into the face of the Reaper,

and the visage was deeply grim;

the countenance found staring back was

his very own face ~ it was him!

 

Well, that was all our friend needed,

he got it in that very breath;

if you are not a giver of sweetness,

you become the portent of Death!

 

 

Author's Note

A challenge accepted...

Reviews

[Rocans (Asher)]

Yes! A full dose of your majestic quirkiness. This was well crafted and delivered.

[Rita L. Sev]

"Majestic quirkiness" - that is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me! ;) Thanks, Rocans!

[Gleb Zavlanov]

What a clever, funny and great adaptation. I loved it!

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you! Having some fun with Halloween again... :)

[Pryde Foltz]

if you are not a giver of sweetness,
you become the portent of Death!

Very creative. I loved the concept and telling, Great ending.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Pryde!

[Lydia Shutter]

This was so clever, Rita! Scrooge on Halloween....and for sure he would have hated this holiday. Giving strangers in masks goodies? Bah humbug! Good life lesson here. Your rhyming and rhythm are perfect....as is always the case! Lydi**

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you so much, Lydi - yes, I have a feeling that the Scrooges disliked most festive holidays... poor fools, to deny themselves such joy!

[Marie]

I certainly hope he started giving out candy after that...the spirit(s?) of Halloween should be everywhere...

[Rita L. Sev]

I'm pretty sure he went out and got a ten-pound bag of Snickers to give out, Marie! :)

[Tom]

A great take on the Christmas carol Ebenezer Scrooge story, only this time it's his miserable cousin who is dismissive of all the fun of the occasion !

A terrific tale and the Halloween ghost of the future was most appropriate and achieved it's mission so exquisitely !

[Rita L. Sev]

That Ghost of the Future always gets the point across! Thanks, Tom!

[Jack...]

Riat, this was great. Great creativity and great poetic skills. This should be a Halloween classic for years to come.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Jack. :)

[Angel]

Well, you definitely met the challenge!! This is perfect!! This should be a Halloween classic...

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you! I would have to give most of the credit to Charles Dickens... :)

[Angel]

Yeah, I suppose that would be only fair...

[Brittney]

Lol love love love! That should make a movie of this, so clever and fun!

[Rita L. Sev]

A cartoon, perhaps starring Scrooge McDuck - LOL! Thanks, Brittney!

[Baby Ricochet]

Ha! Loved it! Great piece. You gotta give candy to the kiddies. They're to damn cute not to

[Rita L. Sev]

That's true - adorable little monsters, they are! Thanks, Mark.