by A. Jill Gaebel

Created on: November 03, 2008

A Halloween Ballad

2008

He rambles around the house at night,

His shuffling steps so tiredly paced.

A weary, drooping and lost soul.

Whose end was too suddenly faced.

The others came on Hallow's Eve

Soft tread and whispers barely heard.

They crept with murderous intent

And stopped to listen as he stirred.

In slumber he was unaware

That fate had found him in his bed

And raised its hand with deadly strength

Then clean and quick severed his head.

They found him in his sea of blood

Finding nary a trace or clue

To tell them why this deed was done

Or if one mad villain or two.

A hundred years have slowly passed,

As he roams the creaking floor

Wishing only to rest in peace

But first know who opened death's door.

He roamed the house for all those years

His gruesome head held safe and tight,

Horrid vision to one and all,

They cried and ran from him in fright.

At last one bright and moonlit night

His shuffling tread suddenly ceased

Near a table with opened book

That had a page folded and creased.

A few shuffled steps brought him near;

Slowly he raised his woeful head.

And there upon the page he learned

Why he was murdered in his bed.

The book he held his head before

Had notes from one who owned his heart.

He had thought her love ever true

And in life they would never part.

But upon this folded page he read

Twas she that sent the one of Death

Into his dark chamber that night

To take from him his final breath.

She did this not for someone's love

Nor because he was growing old.

She did it simply out of greed

So that she might have all his gold.

Too late now to have his revenge,

He turned with sad and broken heart.

His long quest was finally done

And from this earth he now could part.

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