relative distance
distance is farther
in the dark.
mom and dad
downstairs
watching tv in a
lit room
are a light year away
from awake me
upstairs in bed in a
dark room.
if someone or something
that doesn't fear
the dark is up here
with me,
the quickest way
to close this giant
ghostly gap might be a
scream.
© 2017 Tabatha Yeatts. All rights reserved.
Click HERE to read this month's interview with Carrie Clickard. Her DMC challenge is to write a poem about a person, place, or thing that spooked you as a child.
Post your poem on our October 2017 padlet. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties this month, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration this Friday, October 27th, and one lucky participant will win a personalized copy of her enchanting new picture book from Holiday House:
Such a great take on this challenge, Tabatha! Concept and execution... even down to the oh-so-clever double meaning of "relative" in your title!
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect last word!
ReplyDeleteThis totally captures a young child's nighttime fears, Tabatha--especially love that first stanza, the title, the dark and light contrasts. And yep, a scream will do it!
ReplyDeleteThanks, all! A great Halloween challenge for us, Carrie, revisiting those things that made us quiver.
ReplyDeleteSo much clever wordplay in this poem, Tabatha! I've felt "a light year away" from my parents watching TV downstairs, too. =)
ReplyDeleteYou've just told the story of one granddaughter when I kept them a few weeks ago. She wanted me to stay in the next bedroom so she could hear the click-clack of the computer. Downstairs was just too far. Beautifully written, Tabatha.
ReplyDeletewonderful disruption and love the ending
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely bone-chilling. And very clever. Thanks for the poem and the shivers.
ReplyDeleteLove this, for the comfort that always came after the shriek!
ReplyDeleteI hear the scream coming… Thanks for your chilling poem Tabatha, I like the back and forth play between upstairs and downstairs!
ReplyDelete