The Warning

The Warning

Under the harvest moon, beware
of friends who tempt you with a dare.
When walking in cornfields alone,
on Hallow's Eve, you'll get a scare.

In dried up stalks he lurks, unknown.
A rumpled face, no skin or bone,
with tangled hair and ragged clothes,
he's certain you've a soul he'll own.

You might rethink this prank you chose,
a trespasser he always knows.
He's mighty swift with spindly size,
he'll give you chase as your dread grows.

And on your neck, the hair will rise.
You'll turn and see dark holes for eyes
from which he feeds you full of fear.
Imagine now your pleading cries.

So if you think you're free and clear,
a scarecrow's not what he appears.
On Halloween, he's through with birds,
it's you he wants this time of year.


(The rubaiyat is a persian verse form consisting of a series of quatrains linked by a common rhyme. The third line of one quatrain rhymes with the first, second and fourth lines of the next quatrain. AABA, BBCB, CCDC . . . etc. This poem is written in iambic tetrameter.... line count: 20)