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It’s Halloween

It’s Halloween, and musty tombs
expel Damnation’s brides and grooms;
ghoulish creatures rule the night,
a ghastly resurrected blight
as Satan’s grinning visage looms.

Hell’s emptied out its catacombs!
While witches boil up poison shrooms,
the zombies drool, the vampires bite.
It’s Halloween.

In ancient woodland wolfsbane blooms,
the silver bullet musket booms,
and werewolves fearing Death take flight
beneath a full moon’s changing light
for dingy, subterranean rooms.
It’s Halloween.

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Paul A. Freeman is the author of Rumours of Ophir, a crime novel which was taught in Zimbabwean high schools and has been translated into German. In addition to having two novels, a children’s book and an 18,000-word narrative poem (Robin Hood and Friar Tuck: Zombie Killers!) commercially published, Paul is the author of hundreds of published short stories, poems and articles.

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16 Responses

  1. Norma Pain

    ‘Musty tombs and poisonous blooms’ of the Wolfsbane flower. Thanks for the read Paul.

    Reply
    • Paul Freeman

      Thanks for reading. The poem actually evolved through all those rhymes – tombs, looms, mushrooms, etc.

      Reply
  4. Brian Yapko

    This is a wonderful poem, Paul. I would never have expected to see a rondeau used as the vehicle for a Halloween poem — but it works beautifully! Your choice of rhyme words was particularly inspired. Well done!

    Reply
    • Paul Freeman

      Thank you for the so positive comment, Brian.

      It was the plethora of -oom rhyme words that got me thinking of a rondeau.

      Reply
  5. Joseph S. Salemi

    That is really a top-notch rondeau, Paul — and how suitable for the holiday! The choice of the “–ooms” rhyme is perfect, since it immediately summons up remembrance of “gloom” and “doom.” Poe also was partial to that sound.

    “Hell’s emptied out its catacombs!” is an unforgettable line. And the woodcut illustration is a great image of courageous human destruction of evil.

    Reply
    • Paul Freeman

      Thanks, Joseph. It also helps that I’m currently reading ‘Dracula’ which has proved great inspiration.

      The SCP site has certainly helped me to experiment with and improve my poetry, your essays in no small way helping and inspiring me.

      And the woodcut! An excellent choice by Evan.

      Reply
  6. Susan Jarvis Bryant

    The rondeau is one of my favourite forms and you have done it every justice here, Paul, with the repeating line working perfectly and the imagery conjuring all things spooky. Very well done, indeed!

    Reply
    • Paul Freeman

      Thanks, Susan. I think I was overdosing on sonnets, so have been occasionally trying different forms. I’m glad this one has been so well received. The planets must have alligned.

      Reply
  7. Shaun C. Duncan

    Great rondeau, Paul and the evocative language is very reminiscent of Poe or Stoker. The rhymes are excellent, too – I find the French forms, tight as they are, can easily become weighed down by the repeated rhyming if the sounds are not chosen with care, but in this case the oomses contrast nicely with the ites, making it a pleasure to read.

    Reply
    • Paul Freeman

      Thanks, Shaun. To be bracketed with Poe and Stoker is quite humbling.

      Your analysis leaves me with much food for thought on my next rondeau outing.

      Reply
  8. Margaret Coats

    A practical rondeau to announce Halloween, listing several of its featured creatures, but with special attention to the werewolf (and how to get rid of it) in the final stanza. Safely edible mushrooms dominate true autumnal cuisine, so I’m glad to see the allusion to them, along with the implicit warning about gathering wild ones, especially on wild nights, and having them cooked by chefs more competent than witches.

    Reply
    • Paul Freeman

      Thanks for reading and commenting, Margaret. I was going to write three poems about our favourite monsters, but once the ‘…oom’ rhymes started piling up, I realised one would suffice, encapsulating the Halloween spirit.

      Since it’s 100 years since King Tutankhamun’s tomb was discovered, perhaps I should have mentioned mummies and curses thereof!

      Reply

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