On the night spirits rush outside of the door

The fire grows larger, singeing the floor

His heartbeat grows faster, denying his will

And his sweat beads grow larger in spite of the chill

 

Outside of the window, a maple tree scratches the pane

And an eerie ghost light is distorted with rain

On a branch on the tree hangs a ragged old noose

And out of the deadlock the bolt has come loose

 

He scrambles on back, pressed up on the couch

While his shoulders are rigid, not a remainder of slouch

The wet door flies open and smashes the wall

And a figure’s before him striding into the hall

 

He covers his eyes in death panicked fear

And croaks to the spirit “just why are you here?”

“I am”, she said with a hint of cold glee

“The woman you wronged, you can’t forget me”

 

She stared in his eyes with her piercing black sockets

“You killed me last year with my very own locket

You squeezed at my throat and you gouged out my eyes

You left me in blackness, alone with the flies”

 

“You took my locket, with picture come loose

Secured round my neck in a glittering noose

I couldn’t believe you’d ever do that

And that’s why I’ve come back, to have a bit of a chat”

 

“To think that we had just had a walk in the park

And to think you would leave me alone in the dark!”

The spirit sighed, a long grating thing

Then plucked from her finger a tarnished gold ring

 

She held the trinket up to the fire

And laughed at the man still enraptured in mire

“I still can’t believe you chose her over me

I think it’s time I we talked...don’t you agree?”