Trick Or Treat Poem by Paula Glynn

Colin was a nasty man: pure and simple
He begrudgingly send Christmas cards
And when he did he'd put 'From Colin':
He wasn't one for sentimentality in his 48 year old life
He wasn't even one for hugging his long suffering wife.

Harley was a bright and vivacious 13 year old kid:
He took pride in his schoolwork and had a Saturday job
Even classmates did: secondary school hard work
And Harley had emotional confidence where he never did sob
He also was aware of consequences of his actions.

This Halloween Harley and Colin's paths were to collide
Harley was allowed to go trick or treating with a friend
And they were to stick to the main road to go down
But they took a detour to the spooky man's house
The man a famous recluse although his wife seen in town.

Colin did not like Trick or Treaters: their presence
Deeply annoyed Colin but there was some guilt too
And when the doorbell rang at 6pm Colin wanted to sue
It was some older teenager in a black death costume
A costume that made Colin wonder who knew:

The year Colin knocked over a lad on his bicycle
When he was driving somewhere one night
The boy had been badly injured at only 14 years old
And Colin felt his soul had been sold
That he hardened his heart and turned cold.

The man in the death costume was frighteningly silent
And seemed to be judging Colin's cursed soul
Causing deep fear to resonate in Colin's head
And he knew if he didn't change his ways he'd be dead
And the figure in front of him would claim his soul.

Harley and his friend saw Colin collapsed
The doorstep wide open and the light framed through the door
Where Colin's wife appeared shocked and upset
Soon Colin taken by ambulance to hospital a new destiny in store
Colin to welcomely receive Harley as a visitor.

Colin told Harley the story about the lad on his bicycle
And his own guilty conscience although the boy didn't die
Harley and Colin to become as thick as thieves in their new lives
Colin now happily celebrating Halloween with candy to buy
Giving toffees and fudge to fun spooky looking trick or treaters.