A Trick Up One's Sleeve

I was petrified and couldn't scream,
all I could do was to hiss and gurgle.
At first I thought it was a bad dream
then that a thief had come to burgle.

But the apparition made me believe
that strange creatures really appear
on the anniversary of All Saints' Eve
creating havoc and causing fear.

I was aware of the pagan folklore
that ghosts rise up in the full moon
and tell the living what is in store
for the poor souls who will die soon

and name the ones who will remain.
A celebration that has Celtic roots,
a popular myth that is rather arcane
and whose origins one can dispute.

But there I was, rooted to the spot,
afraid of moving and going too far.
I felt like a rabbit that had been caught
in the headlights of a speeding car.

I knew it was foolish to take fright
at the sudden vision of an old crone,
maniacally cackling and clad in white,
but in this phobia I was not alone.

To best avoid the risk of being taken
by a daemon, I am told it'd be wise
to remain calm and not to be shaken
but, just in case, to adopt a disguise.

There is one way that one can beat
the evil spirits and even Old Nick:
be prepared to offer a good treat
and thus eschew a diabolical trick.

© Luigi Pagano 2018