Childhood Nightmares: A Haiku Chain

Furnace downstairs hides
the pointy-nosed bogeyman
climbs out to chase me.

Neck hairs stand up straight
cement wall Chief’s headdress shadow,
no window across.

Old witch cackles while
stoking two hot grey ovens,
we lay bound waiting.

Drums beat, voices chant
moccasin feet start to dance
no one hears but me.

Paralyzed by fear
I open my mouth to scream
and nothing comes out.

I don’t celebrate Halloween, but with all the horror films and other posts circulating on social media this year, I began to remember a few recurring nightmares I had as a child. Imaginations are vivid at that age and so is the veil between realms.

That being said, I swore if I ever had kids, I would never read them Hansel & Gretel. I never had kids, but I haven’t changed my mind about that particular fairy tale.