31 Days of Halloween: Day Eleven

 Only Naughty Children See Spooks

By: Winifred Sackville Stoner, Jr.

Witches and goblins, spooks and elves,

With sprites and gnomes from elf-land delves,

Tonight are flying here and there

,Yes, up and down and everywhere.

For this one night in all the year

They rule the earth and bring great fear

To all the naughty little boys

Who tease good girls and break their toys.

                                   These spooks they also make girls sad

When they are selfish, cross and bad; 

So when it's dark, bad boys and maids, 

They see these awful fearsome shades,

And that is why with covered heads,

They trembling lie in their warm beds.

                                        But even there they goblins see,

Spooks and gnomes, and all that be

Abroad upon weird Halloween

When all the wizards may be seen

By naughty kids and grown-up folks

Who like to play most wicked jokes.

                                     But good young girls and gentle boys,

The kids who are their mothers' joys

They like the dark just as the light,

For spooks never come within their sight,

And in their dreams they lovely elves

Show them bright scenes from fairy delves.

So, if tonight you are afraid

Of any spook or any shade,

We'll know you are a naughty child,

So cross and willful, rude and wild.