An encounter with a talking statue on a cemetery's night brings a man to his horrid fate. |
Once upon a graveyard’s night, I took a little stroll From the entry portal there beneath the rocky knoll Twas there along a well-known path I had traveled many times Upon my foggy nightly treks Among the mossy pines The smell of death from oft the tombs And statuary there Gave forth familiar comfort Yet a terrifying aire With coal oil lantern all aglow, to light the way I walked When much to my nocturnal awe, a stone began to talk “John Sparks!” called out a statue Seated high on marble shelf It cracked and groaned and turned its head I could not hide myself From the horror that succumbed me My knees grew numb and weak To think this cold un-living thing Could draw a breath to speak Her voice so coarse and hollow Resounding through the park I jutted forth my fiery torch To pierce foreboding dark The flickering lantern’s yellow light Upon her marble frame Gave sight to hellish nightmare As so steadily on she came Her face, though carved, was beautiful And stained from years behind A sculpted rose upon her hair Formed from another time Her eyes shone of a sadness From eternal mourning stone Emitting light, not from my flame But haunting powers unknown Nearer ever nearer Came the horrid dragging sound Of the massive ancient effigy As she moved upon the ground The torment of my failing legs The pounding in my chest Gave newly-felt repentance Of my own eternal rest I fell there in a prostrate pose Before this peeress grand With flowing gown to graceful feet And bouquet in her hand And with a terror never known I tried to force the words “My God, have mercy on my soul!” The missive went unheard “John Sparks, I’m sent to summon you, arise and go with me For your time on earth is over Come, behold your destiny!” “Oh maiden, maiden of the rock please heed the words I say; That I may live and love and breathe for yet another day!” “John Sparks, look all about you and tell me what you see, The stones, all speak eternal!” Said the woman effigy “Like the ancient obelisks carvings and epithets arranged, The purpose for my coming and your fate can not be changed!” “Oh maiden, won’t you tarry to calm my fearful heart that I might have a moment more to pray before we part? For my end has come too soon.” I wailed with tortured moan The maiden only answered with the creaking of the stone Wearily rising I reached up To take a marble hand That had been still for many years She grasped so I could stand Upon my feet, I lifted up To gaze upon her face Of deep cut eyes and placid cheeks Formed by artisan grace Speaking not, she slowly turned The sod gave evidence Of heavily trodden footsteps Leading me to providence My horror strangely ebbing It seemed not strange nor odd To be rather dreamily walking Arm in arm with this stone god And as we neared her pedestal Where she sat one hundred years I found a soothing comfort had replaced my horrid fears “Are these the portals of my hell?” Resigning to my fate As we paused to look upon the stone Beyond cast iron gate “John Sparks”, said she “Behold where I have wept a million nights Through blizzard; calm and thunderstorm And seasons lovely sights And now the time has finally come To look upon this stone For providence has sent me John It’s time to take you home.” As my eyes fell upon the slate I knew what I would see “Here lies John Sparks, a wealthy man, With his family. No one knows what happened, Or why he did this thing. We pray that God will take them home Upon angel wing.” “Now lie down John, go on down Unto your family To sleep there with the ones you love The hour’s late, you see; For a century you have roamed these graves In search of debt to pay And I was sent to summon you For resurrection day.” And now I lay me down to rest Beside my darling wife I'll soon face God and family For having took their lives Guarded by the maiden there Who sits above and weeps 'Till resurrection morning When the dead no longer sleep |