Halloween, From Birth To Death Poem by Bri Edwards

Halloween & Birth:

A child's birth may involve suspense, fear, pain & BLOOD.
And it may seem, to mom, dad, and/or baby, a FLOOD, an
emotional &/or physical, sometimes one-time lifetime event,
AND, ......for many involved, it will seem like time well-spent.

All 'adults' involved, I think, are present while wearing masks;
they go about aiming for a successful completion of their tasks.
Unlike Halloween, a favorite annual event I enjoyed as a child,
I think childbirth rarely will involve candy, a parade, or party(wild) .


Halloween & Childhood:
{ for me, at least }:

From about 7 years to 12 years old I dressed in a costume,
obtained from my parents, and I walked to neighbors for treats,
such as black & orange jellybeans (NOT sugar-free I presume) ,
candy bars, sugary gum, and other tooth-decay-causing sweets.


Halloween & Adulthood;
{ for me at least }:

October 31st was for years, 'quiet' as a Christmas-poem mouse,
with a very few exceptions. A church teen-group event was one.
One year teens in my small church created a 'haunted house',
and hosted teens from other churches for some Halloween fun.

Now, as I think of that night MANY decades later I do wonder:
A 'Haunted House', in a large, darkened, sheet-shrouded room,
in a church? A replacement for youth seeking candy-'plunder'?
Many Halloween features were missing,1 a witch on her broom.

[[ OK! I was NOT QUITE an 'adult' in the two stanzas above,
and, not being a precocious*** teen, I'd not yet had a true love. ]]

A 2nd exception for quiet Halloweens was nearly 20 years later.
By then my daughter was 5 years old or so. We both went out,
seeking 'treats', 'Dad' as a devil & 'her' a witch (not an alligator) .
With dad-made masks on we sought candy, but we Did Not shout.

From that day Halloweens were VERY quiet for me indeed!
My wife divorced me. Halloween with 'Dad' wasn't repeated.
Oh, I took Shannon to miniature golf & to Chuck E. Cheese,
but any chance for 'Dad' to 'have fun' on Oct.31st was 'deleted'.


Halloween & Death:
{ yet to be experienced by me, but I'll use imagination }

My father was nearly 90 years old at his death. Rest in Peace.
My mother died years later. Over 90 she was. R.I.P. to her!
I hope I don't live SO LONG. I like life but wish it to cease....
before I become unable to 'help' others. I hope Death does concur.

'Death', aka 'The Grim Reaper', a Halloween figure may be,
along with Vampires, who suck humans' blood. Do you like it?
Add to them Ghosts/Spirits who do spy on you from any tree!
Werewolves, among others, may hunt you, mouths dripping spit! !

[[ I got off the subject a bit for a while. Can YOU forgive me? ]]

Some people at Halloween may wear costumes of Devil or God.
I don't believe in either. And at my dying-time it'll be the same.
But I'd like to be 'aware' at my death, & have a 'healthy' BOD(y) .
I'd like those around me to wear costumes & I'd like to know....
MY NAME! ! !


(October 2nd 2023)

Bri Edwards

:)

*** PRECOCIOUS: '(of a child) having developed certain abilities or proclivities at an earlier age than usual.
For example: 'he was a precocious, solitary boy'