[Poetry] Haunted

A Pantoum poem about a haunted railway. Read and find out the unexpected twist in this piece.

Haunted

On one unusual day in a bizarre place,
I came across a track—a road of rails.
I innocently trod upon each sleeper, 'till the end I'd trace
Then I found myself in front of a graffitied wall—filthy and stale.

I came across a track—a road of rails.
As I trudged through a place that led nowhere,
Then I found myself in front of a graffitied wall—filthy and stale.
There's an opening in a cave that might lead somewhere.

As I trudged through a place that led nowhere,
With heaving breaths and troubled thoughts that I might have lost my track.
There's an opening in a cave that might lead to somewhere.
I wondered if I would get in or just go back.

With heaving breaths and troubled thoughts that I might have lost my track.
My curiosity compelled me to enter the opening.
I wondered if I would get in or just go back.
Before I could decide, something grabbed me as quick as lightning.

My curiosity compelled me to enter the opening.
It might be dangerous inside, but I had to embark.
Before I could decide, something grabbed me as quick as lightning.
A loud growl greeted me, then a plethora of red eyes glowed in the dark.

It might be dangerous inside, but I had to embark.
Breaths heaved into a crescendo of gasps. I wanted to run.
A loud growl greeted me, then a plethora of red eyes glowed in the dark.
A party began, then came the wraiths, then skeletons, and even headless nuns.

Breaths heaved into a crescendo of gasps. I wanted to run.
My fear grew when the entrance was closed.
A party began, then came the wraiths, then skeletons, and even headless nuns.
Then they stared at me, and I felt dozed.

My fear grew when the entrance was closed.
I wanted to escape, but I seemed glued in place by a spell.
Then they stared at me, and I felt dozed.
I will be their glorious offering to the lord of hell.

I wanted to escape, but I seemed glued in place by a spell.
Wraiths chanted in bliss and it echoed across the hall.
I will be their glorious offering to the lord of hell.
I was laid on a huge altar while I screamed the loudest bawl.

Wraiths chanted in bliss and it echoed across the hall.
Then came the horned being just directly above where I lie
I was laid on a huge altar while I screamed the loudest bawl.
I realized it was just a nightmare as I struggled to open my eyes.

The came the horned being just directly above where I lie
Will this be the day that I'm going to die?
I realized it was just a nightmare as I struggled to open my eyes.
I was finally awake, panting, and I could only sigh.

Will this be the day that I'm going to die?
In this filthy, secluded, and abandoned place
I was finally awake, panting, and I could only sigh
With a tremendous horror on my sweat-drenched face.

In this nasty, secluded, and abandoned place
I came across a track—a road of rails.
With a tremendous horror on my sweat-drenched face.
I found myself in front of a graffitied wall—filthy and stale.

Written for: "April 12 Poem--The unexpected..."

in "Dew Drop Inn"

, "Spirits at Lighthouses Contest"

, and "The Whatever Contest -- Closes Oct. 2"

Prompt for "Dew Drop Inn" : The unexpected…

Prompt for "Spirits at Lighthouses Contest" :

Prompt for "The Whatever Contest -- Closes Oct. 2" : Find a form of poetry you've never written before and both describe it and write an example.
Form Chosen: Pantoum
Poetic Form Details:

The pantoum is a poetic form originating in Malay where poets write quatrains (4-line stanzas) with an abab rhyme scheme and repeat lines 2 and 4 in the previous stanza as lines 1 and 3 in the next stanza. Poets differ on how to treat the final quatrain: Some poets repeat lines 1 and 3 of the original quatrain as lines 2 and 4 in the final quatrain; other poets invert lines 1 and 3 so that the beginning line of the poem is also the final line of the poem.

For the purpose of following the rules of "The Whatever Contest -- Closes Oct. 2"

:

Prompt: Find a form of poetry you've never written before and both describe it and write an example.
Written for "The Whatever Contest." "The Whatever Contest -- Closes Oct. 2"
Word/Line Count:
52 lines | 549 words | 2,922 characters
04/12/2022 12:46am EDT