fright

An old man once claimed that he was without fear
Of ghosts, goblins or strange things that might appear
Superstitions of the ignorant, old wives tales
Made up stories to daunt and cause the mind to ail

He boasted to his friends, “Send me anywhere
Where there are evil spirits that might scare
One friend asked, “Can you stay overnight
in a graveyard without deep sleep or fright?”

“Oh sure,” he said without hesitation
“I’ll brave the night with no trepidation.”
That night he stayed in that hoary, dark place
til dawn no apparition, not a trace

“Just see,” he said, “ghosts and ghouls don’t exist
Though I stayed throughout the night in their midst.”
He walked out the graveyard with happy mien
Musing why silly folks fear the unseen

Unnoticed were briars with thorns on the ground
That caught his long cloak, pulled back without sound
Shocked out of his wits as if dragged to death
Imagined evil ghosts and exhaled his last breath