THE WITCH ON HALLOWEEN (reposted and title changed)
We went there last week
Tony, Louie and I
Six dogs barked so loud
I wanted to die.
(The cats scurried by).
The outside of the house
Was a terrible mess
But what can you expect
From a high priest and priestess?
(I mean can you expect them to clean?)
No one at home
I wanted to cry
But their next-door neighbor
Seemed to be a nice guy.
I told him I write
And would like to come back
Some night
To talk to the man and his spouse
Who live (live?) in that house.
"Three people live there," he said,
"Two men, a woman and a child."
Wonder if they're nice, and kind and mild?
Or if they're the kind instead
Who chop off your arms and legs and head?)
The neighbor suggested I leave them a note
"I'm a reporter and would like
to talk to you," I wrote.
I left it in the mailbox
With my phone number and name
(Trepidition has no place
On the road to fame).
A few hours later, I received a call,
Son of a (female dog?)
It was Lillith the witch!
She's a high priestess, she said;
(I started to write)
And as a result
Lillith told me a little
About the cult.
(Faith healing is appealing
If you understand what you're feeling
While you're kneeling).
We have a date to go back there tonight
Tony, Louie and I
They're so excited, but I want to die.
I might sit in a corner, suck my thumb,
and cry.
If I'm dismembered tonight
Please remember me
As a productive member
Of society.
It's no thrill
To write a will:
"Donate my right arm to . . . my toes . . .
My heart . . . my soul . . . my brain . . . ."
###
October, 1980
P.S. Naturally, I edited this story
and The Daily Journal published it,
with photos. However, nobody knocked at
Lillith's door that Halloween.
