Tag Archives: night

Tale Of The Jersey Devil – A Dark Poem

The wind it howled through dark of night

Father stammering in paralyzing fright

He hid me deep in closet bare

Eyes wide open through slats I stare

~

The growl it came on putrid breath

I feared the end a gruesome death

Father held tight as the door it rattled

Futile to fend an unnatural battle

~

Slowly the door it did part from it’s frame

Demon’s eye I see glowing red as a flame

Father held tight, just as tight as he could

But he knew in short order his strength fail it would

~

The beast it did shriek as father fell to the floor

Claws round his throat he threw father at the door

With a horrible thud bleeding and prone

Father lay silent and I cowered alone

~

I could see cloven feet moving this way and that

Flapping leathery wings as if clipped from a bat

It spit as it growled from between fang laden jaws

Destroying our cottage with yellow curled claws

~

It’s face was not human, nor of beast of the earth

Larger than a man in it’s height and it’s girth

The horns that did sprout from the top of his head

Certain in a moment I surely be dead

~

It clawed at the closet breaking slat after slat

‘Til the drool from it’s fangs fell inside pitter-pat

I curled in the corner as best that I could

Live another night I prayed to God that I would

~

The stink of the devil almost more than I could bare

As lice and maggots fell from his feathers and his hair

With one longing screech as spit ran down the wall

I closed my eyes and held my breath as the satan’s tail did fall

~

Then as fast as it came it turned and did run

Back into the pines from whence it did come

Leaving claw marks and stench behind in it’s wake

This night we were lucky for no life did it take

~

Battered and bloodied was my father its true

No worse was I for the terror gone through

This story’s been told, handed down through the ages

Written in books filling volumes of pages

~

Still there are those who refuse to believe

‘Til receive they a visit on one dark moonless eve

Jersey Devil of the pines unannounced makes his call

The season matters not winter, spring, summer or fall

~

The son of Mrs. Leeds, cursed long before birth

Banished to the forest amongst pine and marshy firth

Spawn of the Devil to live immortal life

Its best to guard your sons and daughters and your wife.

~

~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~

This poem is based on the Jersey Devil, the longest lasting piece of lore in the state of New Jersey, originating in 1735. This website, WeirdNJ gives one rendering of what the Jersey Devil is supposed to look like along with a good bit of information about it’s origination and actual sightings of the devil.

I grew up in this area and lived there until about 12 years ago. It is an absolutely beautiful area along the southern coast of New Jersey, that is of course unless it is nighttime and you are lost in the Pine Barrens.

Man-On-The-Moon

The sun sets as the moon does rise,

Orange and red sherbet skies.

The man on the moon from slumber awakes,

To bid goodnight no trouble he makes.

~

Fox and hound and little child,

End of day for meek and mild.

Dreams of tomorrow another day,

To hunt and lop and innocents play.

~

The Infant feeds at mother’s warm breast,

Before for the night she lay her down to rest.

Pray and hope she sleeps through night,

And not awake ‘til first morning’s light.

~

Too much to ask though it may be,

Mother and Father and angel three.

Dream of slumber full night refresh,

A full eight hours, “My God we’d be blessed”!

~

Then Fido he barks must be time to go out,

Jarred from our sleep we scream and we shout.

Climb out of bed quiet as a mouse,

Tiptoeing gently across the floor of the house.

~

Open the door and out Fido goes,

Angel stirs, then whimpers then bellows.

“Now look what you’ve done!” at Fido we yell,

How long she’ll be up only the clocks time will tell.

~

Then off to her room, the mobile turned on,

With a “shhhh” and a pat back to sleep she has gone.

Nary a sound back to bed we did slink,

Blanket pulled tight, we dared not to blink.

~

As our heads hit the pillow our hearts they did slow,

We’ll give this thing sleep another college go.

No other sounds nor stirs or cries,

Another few hours of gratefully closed eyes.

~

That Man-On-The-Moon must have been up to no good,

Our night he disturbed way more than he should.

As sunlight streamed in to welcome the new day,

Tonight’s another night, what more need I say.

~

~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~

Dawn Breaks – A Tanka

Dawn breaks black to blue

Stars fight the coming sunrise

A death match of sorts

Anxiety of night wanes

Relinquishing to the day

~

~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~

Black of Night – A Tanka

Image Credit: creepypasta.wikia.com

Image Credit: creepypasta.wikia.com

Steeped in black of night

Dangers lurk in the shadows

Like things of nightmares

Evil and malevolent

Though certainly spurious

~

~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~

Dread of Night

Howling winds under amber moon,

Barren oaks crackle dry and brittle,

Skipping leaves rustle, dead and fallen,

As dogs aghast, bay at the dreadful night,

How eerie trembling in fright unfolds.

Shadows long and deep bury the living,

Cast down upon the earth in a tumultuous dance,

Sights and sounds of Hell inspired.

Whilst blackened figures roam unhindered,

Tricking eyes and mind to terror.

Spying what in logic can not be real,

Hence, even this is of no solace,

As synapse take their nightmarish toll,

Painting masterpiece of horror contrived.

With shutters locked taut, to hold back the fear,

Blankets drawn tight up over head,

Eyes pursed hard to block out the light,

We lay in silence to hide from the dead.

~~ D. R. DiFrancesco ~~

Good Night – A Tanka

sleep

Last rays of day fade

Ushering in moon and stars

As the nights backdrop

Children long for beds comfort

Warm milk and the sweetest dreams

~~ D. R. DiFrancesco ~~

Welcome Spring

Image Credit: fanpop.com

Image Credit: fanpop.com

Welcome sight the breath of spring,

Air so clear, air so clean,

Though we claim the cloudless sky,

It floats away regardless how we try.

From Heaven above to earth below,

We only see what Mother Nature will show.

She plays on emotion- the sun so warm and bright,

Sinks below horizon- we hold with all our might.

To no avail we say goodbye to the day,

Not to have it any other way,

Tomorrow will come and a new day will dawn,

Today is here and yesterday is gone,

Sun comes up as it always has done,

The birds will awake and greet us with song,

Renewal of soul does their singing bring,

As we welcome in a breath of spring.

~~ D. R. DiFrancesco ~~

Fear of Night – Haiku

Image Credit: dimijianimages.com

Image Credit: dimijianimages.com

In the dark of night

We fear what we cannot see

Praying for the dawn

~~ D. R. DiFrancesco ~~

Farewell to the Day – Haiku

Credit - travel.wikinut.com

Credit – travel.wikinut.com

A tangerine sky

The days sunshine bids farewell

To usher nightfall

~~ D. R. DiFrancesco ~~

Night at the Symphony

The silence of sunset,

Birds return to their nests,

Resting from their day of song.

~~

Crickets rosin their bows,

Preparing for the evenings symphony,

While crowds await their glorious tune.

~~

The sun glows mandarin,

As it slowly ducks behind the shadowy horizon,

Echoing in a tense truce between diurnal and nocturnal.

~~

As the last sliver of day sets,

The orchestra begins their performance,

Breaking the uneasy silence.

~~

Eerie yet beautiful sounds of nightfall,

Originating from unseen musicians,

Thrill their awestruck audience.

~~

Wondrous are the players of the night,

Talented and shy, invisible to all except the trained eye,

Hiding behind their curtain of darkness.

~~

Night is not to be feared, but cherished,

Enveloping its onlookers in the leisurely tune,

Eliciting a most restful slumber.

~~ D. R. DiFrancesco ~~