The Pirate Pumpkin

My entry for Writer's Cramp (re: Jack-a-Lantern Talks) 28 Lines

The Pirate Pumpkin

What should we carve?
Pondered Will and Jack
As they dreamed of dragons
Vampires and bats.

Should we make a monster,
A ghost or a cat?
I know, let's carve a pirate,
With a scull on his hat!

So their Mom and Dad
With chopsticks and a knife
Carved the scariest pirate
With a patch on his eye.

Their parents lit the candle
Behind the stringy beard
As the boys watched in amazement,
Fascination and fear.

And just as their parents left them
Alone with this frightful head,
They froze and stared in disbelief
As their pirate pumpkin said . . .

Where'd ya put me body?
Me thinks I'm smellin' land.
Where'd ya take me ship?
What happened to me hand?

An' who are ye two shipmates?
Can ye tell me, Am I dead?
For if I'm not, will ye answer me this?
What's a burnin' in me head?


(28 Lines)