Goons and Goblins, they trick and they treat
Parading in costume all through the street
Moans and groans and giggles employed
In hopes of treasures to be later enjoyed

But evil lurks in the darkness of night
An innocent child has vanished from sight
His dropped pail dances, spilling its fill
The sight of it giving his mother a chill

She looks to the left and then to the right
No sign of her child or the path of his flight
Her heart travels upward into her throat
She braces herself and holds tight to her coat

He’s three foot four, she tells the detective
Wishing she’d been a bit more protective
She looked away for the briefest while
Looking back to find his cache in a pile

Don’t worry, we’ll find him, the authorities chant
Without care to whether they can, or they can’t
They take his description, hair, eyes, and weight
Fearing the worst for the little man’s fate

But just as goons and goblins abound
Angles walk closely and hover around
The teary eyed youngster runs into view
Crying Mommy, Mommy, I couldn’t find you

He squeezes his arms around her thin neck
And kisses her cheek with more than a peck
He sobs as she strokes him and allows him to cry
As he tells of what spooked him, and also of why

Another child lay on the ground playing dead
And clawed at his foot as it came near her head
He ran for his mother and toward her protection
But to his dismay, in the opposite direction

Perhaps he’s too young, the mother thought to herself
And decided to put trick or treat on the shelf
They picked up his candy from off of ground
Then strode through the darkness, both homeward bound

Goons and Goblins, they trick and they treat
Parading in costume all through the street
The sight of it made her chuckle quite hearty
But next year her son will just have a party



Lavender Leigh
October 2, 2007