by Thomas J Misuraca
My son, sit back and listen to
The words that must be said,
I’ve come to warn my darling boy
Of the beast beneath his bed.
This monster has one hundred heads
With tentacles like vines;
On little boys and teddy bears
This abomination dines.
If any part of you survives,
It will not make it past
The creature in the closet,
Who’s twice as big and fast.
A ferocious furry feline
Whose claws will tear to shreds
Those little boys and teddy bears
Who dare to leave their beds.
There’s no escape, for outside here’s
The horror in the hallway;
An evil creature of the night
Who’s craving for some new prey.
He’s tasted blood and he wants more
His fangs will pierce the eye
Of little boys and teddy bears
He hungers to suck dry.
Shadows in the night will hide
The killer in the kitchen,
It’s been so long since he’s taken life
For a killing he is itching.
In the darkness of the room
This man will wait all night,
To slay little boys and teddy bears
By refrigerator light.
The demon in the den is there
To haunt our living room;
This tenant from the depths of Hell
Will be the bringer of your doom.
It will possess your mind and soul
Twisting with precision
Little boys and teddy bears
Sneaking out for television.
Now my son, you know the truth
No safety’s in these walls;
Monsters lurk most everywhere,
In the closet, den and halls.
One of them will take your life
Before you count your sheep;
So little boys and teddy bears
Should try to get some sleep.
Thomas J Misuraca studied Writing, Publishing, and Literature at Emerson College in Boston before moving to Los Angeles. Over 80 of his short stories, a few poems and two novels have been published. Most recently, his story, Cultural Appropriation was published in Idle Ink. He is also a multi-award winning playwright with over 100 shot plays and 9 full-lengths produced globally. His musical, Geeks!, was produced Off-Broadway in May 2019. On Instagram @tmisuraca.
