You may, if you wish, make some kind of link between the Haiku Challenge prompt of (Bloom and. Wet) and Fright. They could work well together, depending on how macabre you wanted to get. The HIAKU challenge can be switched out with synonyms.
The two challenges are SEPARATE but CAN BE combined if YOU CHOOSE to do so.
Welcome to the Décima Poetry Challenge. Each week we’ll be attempting a Décima, also known as an Espinela, poem.
If you don’t know how to write a Décima, click HERE to go to a post on How to Write an Espinela or Décima Poem.
I choose to include the Haiku words as well.
Fright Night.
Darkness fell crashing into night. Making a real fuss heo cried out You have broken my foot no doubt. So consienious, Fay the sprite Working on spells to give a fright. Her magic powers start to bloom Under an orange witches moon. The Vampires dancing in the dew Gorging of blood to make them new. Witches cast spells to make you swoon.
For visually challenged writers, the image shows a a view between two trees of a rapid river tumbling over stones beneath a bridge. The banks are lush and green, and the water if spanned by a simple arch of stone, all overgrown with a green carpet and shaded by trees.
Span
He stood on the bridge and enviously watch as the water rushed and scrambled away. He had long since given up all hope of escape.
What if , he thought to himself, what if he had never found this accursed glen. Not ridden to the centre of the bridge, not halted his horse to to speak to the beautiful maid.
She had had the most piercing blue eyes he had ever seen and blackest hair, raven coloured. Oh! Her lips ruby red demanding to be kissed. She had offered him a drink from a golden Challis which he had been compelled to take.
Immediately he drank from the draft he knew all was not well. He started to feel dizzy and she helped him down from his horse. Smiling and whispering what delights she had in-store for him.
He fell into a deep sleep and had strange and wonderful dreams where she made unending love to him. When he awoke she was gone, he could not clear his head nor could he move.
He tried to move but he was rooted to the ground and his horse had turned to stone. Struggle as he may he was stuck fast as he looked down he could see he was changed. He was a tree he fought to move, he tried to shout but nothing happened. His trusty steed was frozen in stone, thankfully still sleeping.
For years he tried in vain to seek help but no one passed his way or came to his aid. He ranted , he raved to himself he cursed the day he ever set eyes on the woman . He tried as often as he could to escape but all for nought. Hundreds of years passed but still he remained.
All thoughts of escape were pointless now, he had done what had done and that which was done could not be undone. He was was here, turned into a tree, and his horse a rock by his side.
From a distance it was not easy to see him but close up or through binoculars you could make out that this tree looked like a man trying to escape, next to a stone horse with a long black tail.
No one ever visited the glen these days it was too far off the beaten track. It become over grown . If you expand the photo below you might see the Knight and his trusty horse. I wonder if we all wish him and his horse free we could save them.
She couldn’t stay here for long the tide would turn in a few hours and she would be trapped.
Strangely she had survived the previous night she had found a circular shaft in the cave. Although she had managed to shimmy up away from the hungry waters she had been scared and cold in the dark. Her body was now much weakened and she knew she could not survive another night.
What should she do, there was no going back. The villagers would stone her or even worse burn her at the stake.
These people knew her, they were her family, neighbours and friends even. They had seen her grow, they had known of her knowledge of the herbs and potions and books.
She had lived happily among them, all her life. Every single one of them had cause to be grateful for her skills. That meant nothing now.
Cold and hungry she sat watching the sea washing the shore line. Listening to the waterfall, outside the cave, she wondered what to do.
Just as the tied started to turn she felt a presence at her side. Turning she was astounded to see Gia standing there smiling down at her.
“What are you doing here child,” mother earth asked her. “Why do you weep”
She looked into Gia’s beautiful face and told her the sad and sorry tale.
Gia touch her gently, and she turned to stone. “Fear not” my child she said. “You will rest here safe in my womb and when the time is right I will return and change you back.” Gia smiled and the girl felt safe and warm. No longer tired or hungry she felt at peace. “When the world needs you and, it will need you. I shall return you to your human form so you can continue your work.”
Someone had to stay up all day and night to keep the fires hot. It was so important that the alixier was maintained at 275 F. Douglas was tired of breathing life into dying embers. This job was far beneath his potential. He was a mighty dragon, sadly enslaved to a vain witch!
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Ps. Now we all know what happened to Puff the Magic Dragon AKA Douglas.
Lorraine is doing a great theme entitled Countdown to Halloween. Well she is asking for songs, and books to read for Halloween. Well I put on my thinking cap and dug deep into my archives and found some of my old Halloween poems and revamped them for the season! I have added some of my favourite spooky music as for reading material …….
As she rounded the corner and left the river bank she could see the young human , heavily pregnant pinned down by a female Vampire! Anger made he howl loudly, damn she though so much for surprise!
Luckily the Vampire was taken by surprise and let go of the girl, who fell heavily to the ground and cried out. Swiftly covering the ground and leaping at the Vampire, one she had never seen before , definitely not from Mathew’s circle. The Vampire opened her mouth to scream but had the wind knocked out of her as the Warewolf hit her heavily and squarely in the chest.
The Vampire dug her long red nails into the Warewolf’s neck and lent forward to suck her blood. The Warewolf let the Vampire become intoxicated on a some of her blood and as she watched saw her eyes roll…immediately she went for her pale white throat biting deep and hard.
Show no mercy she told herself they would show you none.Fighting for her life, fighting for the baby she carried inside her she ripped the heart out of the Vampire, the taste of dead flesh sickened her more than normal. As soon a s felt the the body of the Vampire disintegrate beneath her paws she slowly relaxed.
Feeling tired , so tired she could not help herself from morphing into human shape. Her opponent dead she lay on the blood caked grass exhausted.
The young woman crawled across to her and covered her with her shawl. Two hours passed and the Warewolf slept. The young woman sat and watched her.
As she woke the Warewolf came face to face with the young human. The girl smiled and said “you look as far along as I am ” sitting up the Warewolf snarled at the woman and then nodded “yes” she replied I am almost ready to drop my cub. The young woman said she was almost due too.
The human said they should not stay too long here as it was getting dark and late. She said her name was Lisa and she was so grateful to the Warewolf for saving her.
Lisa looked into the Warewolfs’ eyes and asked her her name. After a long silence the injured Warewolf replied her name was Rachel. Lisa asked Rachel were was she staying that night , “under the bridge ” Rachel said. Lisa said she would not hear of it and that Rachel must come back with her to her house. Rachel tried to argue but Lisa was more than a match for her! Come on she said getting up. Then stopping dead she turned and said you cannot travel like that , trying not to look at Rachel’s nakedness.
“You are right” Rachel agreed “this form will not bare me, the cub is heavy and my injuries are painful.” Looking at Lisa she said ” I swear I shall not hurt you I am going to change. ” With that she changed into a huge wolf. Lisa looked at her with admiration and whispered ” You are the most beautiful wolf I have ever seen!”
The pregnant human and the pregnant wolf walked together towards the setting sun and Lisa’s house. The light had almost gone by the time they reached Lisa’s dwelling. Rachel stopped by the spring in Lisa’s garden and lapped greedily of the water. I shall make you some tea to drink Lisa said , Rachel turned her beautiful eyes towards Lisa and Lisa knew instinctively what Rachel was thinking.
“Okay , Rachel I understand , you stay wolf “Lisa could not help but stroke Rachel’s sleek coat. ” I do live alone but you you do look more comfortable like that. ” OH! cried Lisa ” you are bleeding let me bathe your wound , my spring has healing powers, yes it does ” Lisa assured Rachel who was now looking at her a thousand questions in her eyes. ” How do I know, well they call me the witch” Rachel shifted on her paws , Lisa stroked her again, “please don’t mistrust me I am a white witch.”
Rachel and Lisa looked at each other and each knew they could trust each other.
So please don’t wake me , leave me where I am. I’ll come back when I have to.
