Cobwebs and Candlelight

The House on Hangman's Hill

As darkness fell on Halloween, 
the air so keen and chilled
Dressed in masks and witches hats, 
out on the streets they spilled.
Giggling with excitement 
they traipsed from door to door
Receiving loads of candy's, 
yet wanting more and more.

From street to street they travelled 
all feeling such a thrill
Creeping ever closer to 
the house on hangman’s hill
A witch was said to live there, 
a hook nosed ugly crone
Who liked to catch small children 
and turn them into stone

They stood outside the old dark house 
all breathing icy mist
Afraid to walk the winding path 
that moonbeams gently kissed
Afraid to knock upon the door 
the gateway into hell
Afraid the witch was waiting there 

to weave her evil spell

The house appeared to watch them 
as they stood upon the street
Each daring one another 
to yell out ‘trick or treat’
Then one small voice spoke out the words, 
“what are we waiting for?”
“Why aren't we walking up the path 
to knock upon the door?”

With mouth’s agape they turned toward 
the little one who’d spoken
A girl dressed up in witches garb, 
a black cat gently strokin’
The one who’d started school that day 
a stranger few had seen
yet here she stood among them 
on the night of Halloween

Some looked at her with wicked eyes 
as she stood there all alone
They would send her to the witch tonight 
and watch her turned to stone
Excitedly they dared the girl 
to go and trick or treat
And so she walked the moonlit path 
as they watched her from the street

Excitedly they eyed her as 
upon the door she rapped
Feeling nervy tummy’s as their 
butterfly wings were flapped
Breathing in and holding 
and daring not to speak
As the door was slowly opened, 
creak by creak by creak.

Quite suddenly the crone appeared, 
green face with large hooked nose
A hand reached out, the girl was gone 
and the door swung to a close
With frightened screams they ran away 
as fast as legs would go
If the witch had turned the girl to stone 
they didn’t want to know

Inside the house the little girl 
was tucking into sweets
She’d really had a lovely time 
playing trick or treats
The witch stood by the window 
and cackled as they ran
She may be a scary witch to them, 
but to the girl she was just 'Nan'…