Poetry Friday: The Ghoul at the Gate (Jessica Swaim)

I love Jessica Swaim’s Scarum Fair, another one of our Cybils Finalists in the poetry category! I hope it doesn’t get categorized as a Halloween-season-only type book, because chills and scares are fun all year long. (In fact, chills and scares on a -20-degree morning like this morning in Minnesota are guaranteed!)

I’d like to share two poems. First, the introductory poem, which is kind of fun to compare to the introductory poem of Joyce Sidman’s Dark Emperor. These are two collections about two TOTALLY different kinds of nights–both delicious! The Ghoul at the Gate Hey, kid, it’s almost midnight, and these woods are dark and deep. What are you doing way out here? Why aren’t you home, asleep? Turn back, or you’ll regret it. See that sign up on the gate? What if The Hand should pull you in? What if…Oh no! Too late! –Jessica Swaim, all rights reserved

Swaim’s poems are full of great language, strong images, and funny poems. Here’s another one I love:

Deadbeats

Let’s all give a hand to the Sleeping Dead Band,
with the flutist who toots as he dozes.
The ghost on bassoon plays a sad, haunting tune,
while the ghoul on the sax de-composes.

–Jessica Swaim, all rights reserved

So fun!

Tara at A Teaching Life has this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup. Enjoy!