Poetry by Matthew Harris

Childhood Fright

As a little boy
At night
I feared and trembled
to turn out the bedroom light
lest the bogeyman
or some other monster
(who lurked in every dark corner)
presented a terrible sight
and attempted
to reach out
a gnarly, hairy and scaly hand
in an attempt to grab hold
one skinny leg
to pull me
with all his dreadful might
way down
out of the light
into the pitch black
and take a bite!