Happy October! To kick off my seasonal blog fun, I’m reprinting one of my poems here.
“Fiend” was first published last year in the HWA Poetry Showcase Volume II by the Horror Writers Association. I always enjoy the broad range of poetic styles and topics in these anthologies, and am honored to be included. I hope you enjoy!
Fiend
When the dreams begin,
I slip in and crouch on your chest,
compressing relaxation
into something tighter, heavier.
The soft little moan of protest you give?
My cocktail.
I sip it from your lips
like fine brandy.
You try to shift; I settle in.
The slick dew that blooms
on your forehead tastes salty and sour –
an exquisite appetizer.
My darling,
you are one of my favorites.
Once the nightmare takes hold,
your eyeballs roam fiercely behind your lids.
I want to pluck them out
and pierce them with my teeth,
but I resist
for now.
I content myself with swallowing whole
your cry of fear.
The frantic beats of your heart,
my main course,
rising and rising, faster, faster,
heightened by those delicious shouts.
Your thrashing arm brushes my cheek,
and I nuzzle the fine hairs that stand on end there,
breathing in the aroma.
My dinner music:
the grinding of your teeth,
the convulsive rhythm of your swallow.
The longer I stay with you,
the further you descend
into the twisted world of sleep.
I could make a glutton of myself.
I could devour you and, perhaps,
finally feel satiated –
fill the chasm within –
for once, know what it is
to not be hollow.
But not this time, darling.
This time I will slip away
and give you time to recover,
for another night will come
when I will need you again.
Someday, though.
Someday I will take my fill.
© Annie Neugebauer, 2015
Share this:
