Revenant (pt.3) – The Midnight Hour

Revenant (pt.3) – The Midnight Hour

Toll of the bell at Midnight Hour,

High above—the full moon still

Below, a sepulcher in darkness devoured,

Encased in fog and winter’s chill

 

An ebon fowl of blackest plume,

Solemn—perched atop sculpted stone;

Keeps vigil over accurséd tomb,

Till stir within of flesh and bone

 

Awakened from the deepest slumber,

Nightmare made flesh—forged from pain

With words and fists unencumbered,

By those who wish to control and maim

 

Twinge of madness in every breath,

Burning vengeance twists the mind

Tormented soul in thrall to Death—

Goads the raven from its earthly binds

 

Crypt expels this chilling disdain,

Darkness and flesh—imbue then impart

Path of corvid and beast, split in twain,

Of Earth and Of Ether—each depart

 

“Covet the land, no company I keep…”

 

Over the mire, muck and tangle,

Unhindered by pernicious terrain—

This Beast, spoke of—only in fable,

Recompense for innocence slain

 

A village, quiet—till breath of day,

Save for the sentinel up on high

Wide-eyed, sober, meets raven’s gaze,

Raised alarum splits moonlit sky

 

“Covet the land, no company I keep,

Mortal hearts fill with dread…”

 

Shattered silence from panicked yell,

As ominous fog blankets the land

Thunderous peal breaks Sandman’s spell,

The watchman bellows frantic commands:

—

Latch the windows! Bar the doors!

Pray to your gods overhead!

Then dare not creak a single board!

Nor let slip!—an utterance from dread!

—

No sooner these last words spoken,

Tearing of flesh, then gurgling sound

The Beast, swift!—his throat torn open

Enveloping fog, a burial shroud

 

“Covet the land, no company I keep,

Mortal hearts fill with dread

Inevitable slaughter of the sheep,

An insatiable hunger to be fed.”

 

~~~

Watch for more works like ‘Revenant (pt.3) – The Midnight Hour‘  by Raven Mirthwood. You can find Raven’s author page on The Creative Exiles at Raven Mirthwood (creativeexiles.com)