The Thing In The Closet

There is a thing in the closet.

The Thing In the Closet
I’m not afraid of the thing in the closet.
I know the wiser choice is just to stay in bed.
I’m not afraid of the thing in the closet.
Although I wish that thing was only in my head.

I won’t be frightened when her talons scrape the bones.
I’ll never panic when she gives a raspy breath.
I dare not shiver at the sound of pain-filled groans.
Although I wish there wasn’t such a thing as Death.

Her limbs are gangly, and they end with hooves for feet.
There is a long muzzle and a snaggle tooth or five.
In between them you’ll find thousand-year-old meat.
Sometimes I hear her children calling from her hive.

I’m not afraid of the thing in the closet.
I’m not afraid though I can see her very well.
I’m not afraid of the thing in the closet.
Although I hope there isn’t such a place as Hell.

Author's Note

Hope you like it. If you decide to review/comment, please be respectful. Thank you.

Reviews

[Kim S.]

I’m not afraid of the thing in the closet.
I’m not afraid though I can see her very well.
I’m not afraid of the thing in the closet.
Although I hope there isn’t such a place as Hell.

I LOVED this part, this is a well written write, much enjoyable

[Alira]

Thank you!!

[_rabbitofhabit (1word)]

I like this piece. The ending was nice, the rhyme scheme was enticing. The imagery got better and better as the poem continued. I am also a fan of you creating slight lore of Death being this decrepit and ancient creature with children that reside in a hive.

[Alira]

Thanks!! I’m glad you liked the creature’s description; I went through a couple of design ideas, but ultimately I was able to freak myself out with this one so I kept it lol.

[TamsinDaya]

This is fantastic. The imagery is really powerful and I love the rhythm and rhyme scheme you have here. I have to say that my favourite lines are:

"There is a long muzzle and a snaggle tooth or five.
In between them you’ll find thousand-year-old meat."

I'm also really into the way you ended this poem. Thanks for sharing.

[Alira]

Thank you! I am pretty proud of those lines so reading that they are your favorite made me quite happy. I’m glad you liked it!

[John the Baptist]

I had a friend who, when he was a kid, believed he saw Dracula come out of his bedroom closet one night. Neighbors later told him they could hear his scream all the way across the street. This offering reminds me of that, although we don't know the age of the speaker. When we are frightened, we can create scenarios in our heads that enhance the fears and make them seem more real. Death is mentioned once here, so that may be the primal fear behind the monster in the closet. On the other hand, the whole piece may be tongue in cheek humor.

[Alira]

This is a good interpretation, as I’ve had experiences similar to that (though not to the same extent, just fear of the dark and what might lurk in it that stopped me from sleeping). To this day, I still have an irrational fear of the dark, despite being a young adult. It’s a paradox because I have a fascination with monsters and the unknown, yet I’m so afraid of it at the same time. You are correct in that when I wrote the piece, I was mainly trying to be humorous and poke fun at myself. Once again, a great analysis from you. Thank you!