Spinning Tales of Misery
I found that my proclivity
Is spinning tales of misery
My readiness to conjure fright
Things that hide within the night
A gift, perhaps, but dark and foul
While conjuring the midnight howl
Midnight knocking, stranger stalking
Empty room, yet someone talking
Darkened figure, twisted shape
Door is locked, there’s no escape
My nightmare scene, it fills their dreams
Delicious thoughts, luscious screams
Terror lurks in the murky swamp
Faceless, wordless psychopomp
Leathery wings across the moon
Tragic times are coming soon
Piercing screech, a hiss so shrill
One leading to a gruesome kill
Heavy fog spills like a river
Smell of death, a ghastly shiver
Clanking chains, souls are claimed
Necks are pierced, bodies drained
Words are pouring, a dripping frenzy
Darkened lust, and blistered envy
Tales of pain, legends, and lore
The prison cell beneath the floor
Knotted ropes, whips of nine
Cloven hooves, the demon signs
Panic, madness, driving rage
Resplendent shocks, to fill each page
Oh, the horror, such prurient sin
My carnal vision of blade on skin
Madness spinning, blackness winning
Reality grasp, weak and thinning
The rabbit hole shows deep furcation
Succulent thoughts of new temptations
Bedlam wracks my thought to page
Manic spinning driving rage
Victims fall to desecration
While whispers echo condemnation
Forever altered, my psyche twisted
A curse some say, or am I gifted….
Additional Reading
If you enjoyed, Spinning Tales of Misery, and would like to read more poems and short stories, by American author, R.J. Schwartz:
His complete works on The Creative Exiles Website can be found here
The Gypsy Thread is a huge collection of his original work
Ralph also writes on HubPages
One of his recent books, Things That Go Bump in the Night, Poetry of Fear and Fright, is a collection of terrifying, dark, foreboding poetry that will certainly drive you into a safe corner with your back to both walls, and your eyes fearfully fixed on the doorknob.
Author’s Note
The image used for this poem is a digital representation of the Sarlacc Pit (wallpapers.com)
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