The Boogeyman Poem by Laurence Overmire

was a powerful guy
everyone feared him

he was on the news
every night
although we never saw him
really, for what he was
they talked about him

incessantly

and we imagined the worst
what words could not describe
we all knew he would hurt us
if we did anything
he didn't like

none of us were safe

so we cowered in fear
not speaking, not doing
no hope for anything better

in some curious way
we had lost the freedom
to think for ourselves
he did that for us
he knew what was best
or so we believed

that is, until one day
a little child
not knowing any better
asked a question
"Why does he hate us so? "

the TV's went silent
the cell phones went dead
the internet shut down and
suddenly the Boogeyman
disappeared

and the world, in one collective
instant
breathed…
a deep invigorating breath
that made love seem possible
once again.

~ Laurence Overmire