Entry #50

Surviving the Night
by Margaret Ann Magle


They come for me in the night
shrouded in darkness,
hidden behind ribbons of clouds,
waiting in the shadows of trees.

Nightmares and memories
carried in on the wind.
They echo in the night air,
barn owls and frogs giving them voice.

I shiver against past evils.
I quicken my step,
and my breath.
I pray for redemption,
for mercy,
for release.

I scream at the blackness,
“You’ve collected your dues.
captured my innocence.
You’ve given me scars that show
and left even more unseen.
What else do you demand?
How much more must I give?”

The moon peers out
from its veil of clouds,
breaking the darkness,
scattering the gloom.
In her blanket of light
I am safe,
I am whole.
In the glow of the moon,
I once again embrace hope.


[Margaret has been writing since 13 but seriously for the past few years. She prefers short fiction and poetry over non fiction. She has had several pieces published over the past two years. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband David and a houseful of pets. When not writing she enjoys reading, making jewelry, working jigsaw puzzles, and music.]