One Winter’s Night

Big thanks to Leigh Laycock for submitting the first piece for my ‘Winter Wonders’ this year; a series of pieces intended to get us into the spirit of winter, Yule and the festive season.

 One Winter’s Night

In the dead of night there came a tapping

Then more urgent sounds of someone rapping

Who would be knocking on the glass

Is it some lost and lonely lad or lass

Who’s there we ask before we open

No words in answer are ever spoken

A heavy chill descended down

Causing all to fear and frown

But still the tapping did continue

All we could see was just white sinew

Just an outline caught our eye

But I was sure I heard the figure sigh

 

Let him in he must be cold

It seemed to listen if the truth be told

The knocking ceased as it waited there

But all I could do was stand and stare

Don’t open the door a shrill voice cried

I am upstairs – I can see outside

There is no one knocking at our door

No one in sight I can see for sure

The road is empty – not even a soul

or ghostly form, or body whole

 

As we stood rigid with the shock

There came another unearthly knock

And so we shook with mouths agape

The ghostly figure of a monk took shape

The glass pane rattled but there was no wind

The apparition did not rescind

White knuckles rapped upon the door

We ran upstairs, we could look no more

Dived under the covers the night we stayed

Four in a bed all silently prayed

The knocking dimmed but continued to drum

For us eventually sleep did come

 

For in the morn we braved to peer

To see what had caused us such fear

Nothing was there that we could understand

Just the tell tale marks of a ghostly hand

And the shape of a monk, or just his cowl

Did he seek sanctuary or was he foul

What did he need this man in black

For us to open the door – just a crack

Was it a warning or maybe a sign

Of what does wander when the moon doth shine

 

To this day I can tell you no more

Of who came knocking at our door.

 

copyright Leigh Laycock 2013