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Open Poetry #10
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Halloween Challenge
| Open Poetry #10 |
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Halloween Challenge |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania 
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Ebenezer Church A Repost for the Halloween challenge An old forgotten woodsy path Beckoned footsteps to explore I knew where it would lead to, though The old man told me once before He spoke in an inviting voice "It leads to Ebenezer Church" As though he knew I’d wander there He said "you’ll reach the graveyard first" A footpath wide where worshipers A hundred years ago would meet And trek in Sunday ritual This path awaiting at our feet We started off ecstatically Through woods of maple, oak and birch Following the hillside path That led to Ebenezer Church No need for markers on the route The earth was worn by years of plod Two ten-year-olds in jubilation Hiking toward the house of God At footpath’s end, a barbed wire fence We ducked protecting arms and head And there we found in silent stance A graveyard as the old man said The oldest tombstone still intact With faded letters was engraved The reason for a woman’s death From fever she could not be saved We wondered if she still was there Buried deep beneath the stone In childish glee we made a plan To there unearth the woman’s bones We dug with stones and bits of shale In deep distraction entertained And so enthralled forgot the hour And into darkening dusk remained Awakened from our arduous chore We quickly dropped our gravely search When eerie sounds came echoing From out of Ebenezer Church Without a word in pounding fear We darted toward the barbed wire fence And slithered through like slippery eels In agile moves and numbing sense The woods were quickly darkening Unfriendly noises pierced the night We clung to one another’s shirts Both sobbing in a fit of fright The moon was kind to light the way Reflecting on the limbs of birch But terror loomed along the path Away from Ebenezer Church Leaves were rustling on the branch A hooting owl and cricket’s trill Were haunting as we made our way Along the contour of the hill In dark we groped from tree to tree Expecting ghostly forms to lurch Convinced that we were being stalked By ghouls from Ebenezer Church When faintly hearing distant calls We followed voices in the night At last our country house appeared And brightness of the kitchen light Family members gathered round They’d all been on a frantic search Asking questions, where we’d been Our clothing soiled from graveyard’s smirch I said we took a little stroll Up to Ebenezer Church Elizabeth Santos |
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| © Copyright 2000 Elizabeth Santos - All Rights Reserved | |||
SEA 
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 2000-01-18
Posts 22676with you |
Elizabeth~ FANTASTIC!!!!! This is great!  - SEA |
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Mark Bohannan Member Rara Avis
since 2000-06-21
Posts 7269In the winds of Cherokee song |
WOW......so if I build a campfire, will ya come tell this one to the gang out loud? THIS was an amazingly haunting poem from you...but from you we would expect nothing less. SUPERB is all I can say and I know I have used it before but I need more words.....hey I know...."FANTASMAGICAL" |
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Seymour Tabin Member Empyrean
since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720Tamarac Fla |
Elizabeth, This is one to be read every season. Exquisitly good. Love Sy |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
Applause ... much clapping here! Oh I just love a good story, and a good spooky story always sets my mind a'tingle ... loved this Liz, excellent smooth flow and story-telling from beginning to end! Best wishes, /Kit |
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Butterflies_dont_cry Member Elite
since 2000-03-06
Posts 3733Michigan |
So much for hoping that it would be a peaceful nights sleep this was fantastic!!! Yep....just a stroll mom...honest  |
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WhtDove Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-22
Posts 9245Illinois |
The woods are never quite the same when night falls. It reminds me of the days we used to go to Wis for the summer. We were in the middle of the woods by a lake, and it was always eerie at night. Just an added spook, on Halloween night. Fantastic poem Liz! ~HUGS~ |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania |
Sea, Thanks for your patience in reading this childhood caper Mark, This is a true story. No campfire fantasy here. I'm glad you liked it Sy, I hope this didn't scare you Kit, All this really did happen. Just last week I went for a drive through the countryside and showed my 30 year old son the Ebenezer Church. He was intrigued. Thanks for your comments Butterflies, We did get into a little bit of trouble, thanks for reading Wht Dove, It is truly amazing how those beautiful woods turn so threatening and spooky at night, especially to a ten-year-old Thanks Liz |
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Romy Senior Member
since 2000-05-28
Posts 1170Plantation, Florida |
Wow! What a great poem! It reads like a story, one that I want to share this halloween! Thanks! ( I love that it's also true!) |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
a goody from the past...having lost none of it's flavor |
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