A Haunting Night Poem by Daleen Enslinstrydom

It was during the witching hour
and ominous the moon did gleam and shimmer
through the skeleton of a eucalyptus tree
and with the tree’s bark stripped away
it was transformed into a creature of the night

and the fog did form rings around the full moon
and it seemed as if the reflection of the moon
was thinly dressed where it was dancing
on the surface of the dam
and the wind howled
around the corners of the old house
and dilapidated barn
with the sound of a crying woman

and shutters were knocking
against the windows
as if the wind wanted to come in
and as if the night could not get gloomier
an owl cried out
and in the distance a dog echoed its call.

The birds that were sleeping in the tree
was startled and flew up in great fright
and suddenly it was colder
with a expectation that something
sinister was about to happen.

The moon hanged much lower
as if it wanted to be a spectator
and as if on demand she did appear
as if out of the nought
and was dressed in a white wedding robe
up to her bare feet

and her blonde hair did flutter
like a flag in the wind
and she seemed innocent and frail
and she sat down
on one of the steps of the porch
with a red rose in her hands
as if she was expecting someone.

When the sun did break though
the early morning fog
it was as if all of this
was just a dream
but for the footprints on the sand
and red rose petals
blowing in the wind.