in the Basement
I've seen Fear on the face of men in war,
that wide-eyed riveted gaze
On mine in front of a foe with a gun
who intended to extinquish my days.
But nothing would ever prepare me
for this tale I'm compulsed to present
'Bout hauling wet clothes to a dryer
downstairs in my buddy's basement.
First the lights went out. I dropped the load.
The basement silence held two sounds
like knives slicing air in the distance
and thudding feet walking soft ground.
I lunged at the stairway in darkness
the Thing scraped my ribcage so
At the top of the stairs, I could just see the door
only seven steps to go
Its breath singed the hairs on the back of my neck
I jumped two steps, leaving five
I bounded two more and that left me three
with the Monster on my heels and alive
I lunged for the door, ope' and closed it.
All in one motion I did !
It snarled and pounded and pounded
my escape must have blown its lid
Each pounding lifted me off the door,
the wood's cracked pieces propelled to the floor,
Ejected like bullets were door hinge screws.
Wood began crumbling.
It was coming through !
I shivered and sweated in silent Fright
Awaiting the crash ! Awaiting the fight !
Then suddenly ! All went silent !
and Again my ears heard a sound,
knifeclaws slicing air in the distance
started fading and melting going down.
The breath returned to my drenched body
and the sweat began to dry
Why it stopped, I'll never know.
I'm lucky and I won't ask why !
When I told my vacationing buddy,
he chuckled and said I was crazed
But I saw him back home from vacation today
with his "wide-eyed riveted gaze."
So, don't laugh at anyone saying
"There's a Monster in your basement, my friend"
You can bet your sweet life, I would never forget it
or ever chuckle again !
HH
I've seen Fear on the face of men in war,
that wide-eyed riveted gaze
On mine in front of a foe with a gun
who intended to extinquish my days.
But nothing would ever prepare me
for this tale I'm compulsed to present
'Bout hauling wet clothes to a dryer
downstairs in my buddy's basement.
First the lights went out. I dropped the load.
The basement silence held two sounds
like knives slicing air in the distance
and thudding feet walking soft ground.
I lunged at the stairway in darkness
the Thing scraped my ribcage so
At the top of the stairs, I could just see the door
only seven steps to go
Its breath singed the hairs on the back of my neck
I jumped two steps, leaving five
I bounded two more and that left me three
with the Monster on my heels and alive
I lunged for the door, ope' and closed it.
All in one motion I did !
It snarled and pounded and pounded
my escape must have blown its lid
Each pounding lifted me off the door,
the wood's cracked pieces propelled to the floor,
Ejected like bullets were door hinge screws.
Wood began crumbling.
It was coming through !
I shivered and sweated in silent Fright
Awaiting the crash ! Awaiting the fight !
Then suddenly ! All went silent !
and Again my ears heard a sound,
knifeclaws slicing air in the distance
started fading and melting going down.
The breath returned to my drenched body
and the sweat began to dry
Why it stopped, I'll never know.
I'm lucky and I won't ask why !
When I told my vacationing buddy,
he chuckled and said I was crazed
But I saw him back home from vacation today
with his "wide-eyed riveted gaze."
So, don't laugh at anyone saying
"There's a Monster in your basement, my friend"
You can bet your sweet life, I would never forget it
or ever chuckle again !
HH
