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Open Poetry #10
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The Haunting...repost for Halloween Challenge
| Open Poetry #10 |
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The Haunting...repost for Halloween Challenge |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA 
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For reasons only God can know my motor died that day And left me stranded in the hills that afternoon in May. I trekked the hills with hopes to find assistance, if I could And, after hours of walking, saw a cottage in the wood. The cottage fit quite picturesquely in this tranquil scene, The English countryside resplendent in its coat of green. A gentle veil of fog and mist lie just above the moor. I rapped my hand respectfully upon the cottage door. She opened up the door. Quite pretty she was, I could see Blue eyes that could have melted ice looked at me, quizzically. I told her my dilemma with my most disarming grin. She chuckled sympathetically and bade me to come in. I shook the mist out of my coat and asked to use the phone. From all outward appearances, the lady was alone Yet, as I looked around the room, I was surprised to see That, on the dining table, there were settings placed for three. "Oh, I am sorry", I exclaimed, "for I can plainly see I've interrupted dinner for you and your family." A tiny smile came to her lips as she said, "That's all right. My man and son died years ago just on this very night. "I struggled hard to not weep as I stood in front of her And said, "Oh, what a tragedy! What caused it to occur?" "A hunting accident", she told me. "There, upon the moor. My men would hunt each Saturday for pheasant and wild boar." "The marsh can be quite treacherous. Huge quicksand pits abound And, if one drops his vigilance, the sand will pull him down. Apparently, my son got caught up in the sinking sand. My husband went in after him. They found them hand in hand." "For many months I mourned the loss that God had handed me And felt I that I could not recover from that tragedy, But then a vision came to me. I saw it constantly And knew the day would come my men would come back home to me." "So now I set the table and I wait for their return, Await the day their silhouettes come pushing through the fern. My man will call out HERE WE COME! SO SET THE TABLE, HON! The way he always used to do...and our lives will go on." I felt so sorry for the lass and her delusioned state. The tragedy that she endured had simply been too great. I held my hands out to her and I slipped my arms around Her waist to give her comfort - that was when I heard a sound. Cold chills ran up and down my spine. This really was absurd! Apparently, I'd been affected by the tale I'd heard... And then I heard the sound again! Too terrified to speak I tiptoed to the window ledge to have a little peek. I saw them walking through the mist - a tall man and a boy. The young wife screamed, "It's them! It's them!". Her face was wild with joy. The man held high a pheasant and the young boy held the gun. I heard him call out, HERE WE COME! SO SET THE TABLE, HON! I screamed.. I think.. I don't recall. I barreled through the door And flew as fast as feet could move across the valley floor. My sides hurt and I felt my lungs were ready to explode But didn't slow my pace until I'd reached a major road. "Hi, honey. Who was that?", the man asked in a curious tone. "Oh, just someone who'd broken down and asked to use the phone." "But why did he run off so fast? He hurdled our front fence!" "I don't know", she smiled, impishly. "He DID seem rather tense." |
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| © Copyright 2000 Michael Mack - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Rex Allen McCoy Member Elite
since 2000-01-30
Posts 2863Sippin a Timmy's in London |
LOL Sounds like she's one up on you ... go back and give her a piece of your spine ... err ... I mean 'mind'  good one |
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Charisma
since 2000-09-30
Posts 5906lost in blue pages |
omg.....first make me cry with "the last words of mary dodd" and now make you make me smile with this one..... Love your work more and more. Charisma |
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Jeffrey Carter
since 2000-04-08
Posts 2367State of constant confusion! |
Another masretpiece from the King of Ballads hmmmmmm.....why do they call you "Balladeer" anyway?  < !signature-->Wise man say "Those who live in the past let the future sneak up on them" and "Make each moment count, it could be your last" [This message has been edited by Jeffrey Carter (edited 10-06-2000).] |
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Mark Bohannan Member Rara Avis
since 2000-06-21
Posts 7269In the winds of Cherokee song |
And the Lord and Master returns to the blue pages in the style that has won him the eternal fame and gratitude of the multitude of poets everywhere. Bowing to your excellence my friend. |
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Severn Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-17
Posts 7704 |
ROTF! YOU ROCK 'deer...awesome... that second to last verse - wow...I was on the edge of my sanity, whoops - seat... love it! Hugs The SO |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
Balladeer~ What a delightful chilling tale to leave one in laughter. I enjoy your talent. ~*Marge*~ ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ noles1@totcon.com |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Balladeer you can really write um...totally funny and delightful...happy halloween...James |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
A WONDERFUL Halloween tribute Balladeer! Oh, how I love to read you!!! You weave a tale so well, my friend, Send shivers down my spine ... Then turn my chills to laughter, As I read that final line!  An excellent read Michael ... loved it! Best wishes, /Kit |
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Dr.Moose1 Member Elite
since 1999-09-05
Posts 3448Bewilderment , USA |
Balladeer, Glad you re-posted this,otherwise I would have missed it. An excellent telling . Doc |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
I remember this one well (of course, yours ARE rather memorable, even to a blonde with only a couple of brain cells *G*) And even on a re-read, knowing what's coming, it's a delight from first word to last! |
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Fred Hobbs Member
since 1999-06-08
Posts 329Tallahassee, Florida, US |
Mike, I missed this one last year. This is absolutely great. What a mind. . . |
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LngJhnAg Member Elite
since 1999-07-23
Posts 3508Boot+Kitty=Poetry in motion |
'Deer - yanno, if you keep slipping your arms around women who are married to men who hunt, yer gonna be a dead rabbit one of these days - lol. I remember this poem well. It is written in your characteristic style of smooth flowing lines that tell a story without false fabrications of structure. Great reading, Mike. |
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PeterPeter Junior Member
since 2000-04-11
Posts 30British, London |
I was captivated by this one and finished in a state of laughter, brilliant!!!!! Peterpeter |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Yes, one of your best, SO very glad you brought it forth again... tally ho! Karilea If I whisper, will you listen?...KRJ |
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WhtDove Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-22
Posts 9245Illinois |
Deer I remember this one well. And that hurdle you made over the fence. Good thing you didn't get caught on it. Excellent writting m'friend. A well told story to tell around a campfire on Halloween night. |
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ma miller Senior Member
since 2000-07-11
Posts 806 |
what a story teller ... wonderful work ... |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Rex...the numbers don't go high enough to count the number of women that are one up on me  Charisma...there are so many emotions to be explored. I am happy you enjoyed two of them. Thank you... Jeffrey...beats me! maybr brcause it sounds better than Irving  Mark...WOW! Sounds like the ending to a Star Wars episode! I thank you, my friend Severny one...living life on the edge ain't always bad! What's that up in the sky? Is it a bird? a plane.......? Marge...I thoroughly enjoy your enjoyment James....and the happiest of Halloweens to you, too!!! Kit....and how I love to feel your eyes on me! I appreciate your enjoyment very much Dr. Moose...thank you for the house call! Fred...I always appreciate any praise from you. You're one of the good guys LongJohn...I think you're right. Maybe I should look for women whose husbands are sailors gone on long voyages!! Thanks for the tip!!!...and for the sincere comments, good buddy peterpeter..Laughter is a great state to live in...beats Missouri. Thank you, sir Sunshine...tally ho? Is the fox hunt on? Then I'm hunting YOU!!!! WhtDove.. That fence was only 6 feet high Too bad that it was picket. But I jumped just quite high enough To only barely nick it!!! MA Miller....after seeing the quality of your work, I take this as a great compliment and I thank you... |
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rosepetals25
since 2000-05-31
Posts 3076PA |
Balladeer, OOooOOoooo.. I like I like! First you gave me chills and then you made me laugh ~~Tara aka rp25 :o) |
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Andrew Scott Member Elite
since 1999-06-24
Posts 2558Redlands,CA,USA |
He, he, he... ya just gotta love such a tale. I do believe the time on that sprint would have been a new world's record... worthy of the olympics. Missed this one last time around. Thanks for bringing it forward. Happy All Hollows Eve. PS. Liked your 'ponderings'... not sure if you caught my response. |
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Paula Finn Member Ascendant
since 2000-06-17
Posts 5546missouri |
OH LOL LOL LOL...wonder if she is related to Kethry? To give you such a hard time? Loved this |
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Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648 |
ROFL  Oh, boy, I remember this one, how could I ever forget?!! One of your best, Balladeer!!Denise |
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Temptress
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-06-15
Posts 7136Mobile, AL |
This was great. You added a smile to my night with your writing. How wonderful to have someone with such storytelling skills. My name isn't Baby, and I don't want to cyber. |
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