Baddies in the dark

Cherry

By Deliberately Evolving

Sat, 24 Oct 2015
  • 3617 reads
17 comments
 
 
My bedroom is bright.
It's pink with flowery walls.
There are teddies and toys...
lots of them. 
I like to be in there,
playing, reading etc. 
But at night,
After I've brushed my teeth,
put my PJ's on,
it comes to the time 
to get into bed,
I hover at the door instead,
because I know that 
if I stand near the edge, 
there is something underneath
that will definitely grab my legs
It will pull me under
and I'll be dead!
How does it know 
that even though
I put the on the light
that it's night?
and time to mess with my head.
So in order to get to sleep
I have to take a running leap,
jump from at least 
a meter away
and pull the covers up to my chin.
That's the only way.
I know I will be ok,
but I sleep listening out
for telltale sounds that 
will give the baddie away...
I'm onto him.
Mummy's wrong.
He's definitely there, 
he waits for the darkness
and stays there all night long.
 
 
Certificate U
Poem
Children's
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Oh, poor thing, how awful! I remember at about 6 years old, my sister and I were listening to some science fiction thing on the radio (no TV yet!), and my mother didn't realise what it was like until she found us looking under the bed at night and very nervous. Children do seem to like horror stuff as long as they know deep down that it is pretend, and that there is a Helper at hand in life, (and Mum!). Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

It was my older brother that put the horrors in my head. 

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.

Submitted by VeraClark on

I remember like it was yesterday. Captures that horror of having your legs grabbed.

 

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

It was if you stood right by the edge - something would reach out and grab your ankles. I can still feel the exposed feeling of it. I also remember it like it was yesterday. Lol.

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.

Submitted by loquaciousicity on

I used to tease my kid sister with the  B...

She has forgiven me... but I haven't forgiven myself...

Your splendid poem is one more lash and a sprinkling of salt...

wink

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

It is the job of the older sibling to torment the younger ones a little just as it is the job of the little ones to annoy the older ones I suppose. 

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.

Submitted by Bee on

Funny how it all disappears so suddenly in the morning, though. The poem is breathless with the terrors and comes out in little runs of horrible excitement. I think we can all relate to it - really well done! Did you ever discuss your brother's menacing ways, with your mum? I bet she'd feel guilty, too. 

Bee

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

Although the poem says "mummy's wrong" implying that mother was informed and denied the existence of the baddie under the bed, this was just fiction. It was more a generalisation about parents who say "there's nothing there - go to sleep!". In reality the poem was based on my own experience, my brother did put the horrors in my head and I did used to have to take a running jump because of it. I don't think I every told my parents. I think it was something I just dealt with. 

 

What i would say is that I personally never deny the existence of monsters etc to children who know they are there. I just deal with the monster. Not sure if that's the right thing to do but that's what I do. I learned it from Susan in Terry Pratchetts "Hogfather".

Thanks for your comment. 

 

 

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Childhood terrors very eloquently brought to life as evidenced by all the comments (loved Terry's especially)

 

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

Thanks incert, I'm glad you liked the poem.

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

You bring back those fears that keep children awake.  I guess everyone had/has them.

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

I think we all had them in one form or another. My son says there are monsters in his room - he is 2. We ask him what he would like us to do with them and he says "take them down to the conservatory - they can sleep there". So we do.

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.

Submitted by VeraClark on

Add my five yr old's night terrors to the mix and you actually believe there are wolves  living in the walls.

 

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

Eurgh! Night terrors are scary.

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.

Submitted by Starfish Girl on

Lying awake at night, in the dark, anything is possible. So well put through the eyes of a child (and even an adult)!

Lindy

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

Thanks Lindy

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

Thank for the cherries Admin. 

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.