The Night Before Halloween

The Night Before Halloween

'Twas Halloween eve and all through the house
not a creature was stirring, not even a louse.
The garlic was hung by the window with care
in hopes that Count Dracula would not come there.
The children were hidden all scared in their beds,
while visions of Frankenstein lurched in their heads.
Mama in her kerchief and I in my cap
had just settled our brains for a short, frightened nap,
when out on the lawn there arose such a clatter
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter!
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
threw open the shutter [the window went, 'crash' ].
The gigantic full moon with its' wolfmanlike glow
gave the light of a fog bank to what lay below;
when what to my wondering eyes should appear,
but a coffinlike sled with eight wolves coming near
with a little old driver so scary and black
I knew in an instant, "It must be Count Drac!".
His coursers were swift; like vultures they came,
and he whistled and shouted and called each ones' name.
"On Wolfgang, on Fang, on Paris and Hero!
On Hitler, on Stalin, on Nixon and Nero!
To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall!
Now crash away, crash away, crash away all!"
And in a moment I heard more than saw
the thudding and scratching of each giant paw.
As I pulled in my head and was turning around,
down the chimney Count Dracula came with a bound.
His clothing was black and his face it was white
and I shook when I saw it with uncontrollable fright.
He said not a word, but went straight to his work
and killed all the children, then turned with a jerk,
and laying a finger aside of his fang
and giving a burp, up the chimney he sprang!
He leapt into his sled, to his team gave a whistle,
and away they all flew like a Patriot missle.
But I heard him screech ere he lurched out of sight
"Scary Halloween to all, and to all a bad night!"