A Child's Nightmare

© 2003 Todd Matson
All rights reserved.

Sound most frightening,
heard in the dark bed
of night. Not some precarious
toy off the sofa's edge
falling; nor an eery scratching,
tree-branch scraping
in the howling whistling wind.
Nor footsteps fading,
furnace clicking,
sheets rustling,
dog barking;
nor the night house creaking,
cracking, settling, breathing.

Sound most frightening
heard in the dark bed
with heart racing,
blood sweat dripping,
under covers hiding:
a single note emanating
from the old bedroom
piano.

Sound, horror ringing,
through nights and years
can still be heard,
accompanied by
vision of an ethereal boy
locked frantically in
his best impression
of boy sleeping too deeply
to hear the sound.

Back to top of page