The Night Poem by John Allen Richter

How dost night protest thee?
Her moonbeam chisled face fallen at your door,
and gravelly steps of strangers near
bringing thoughts of heart stopping fear…

Tick tock, tick tock, friendly eve,
Insanity for innocence deadly grieve
against the blackest grain of night.
A shoulder's invisible touch -
and other things such -
as find you near quarter of three.

Whispering voices down the hall -
whenst look tis nothing at all…
The devil's hour comes…
and mind's eye wide sublime
find crickets, ghosts and broken time.

With blankets held to chin
and walls breathing in -
you finally accept and show with a grin!
for tis not some robber, or menace of sort…
but only death come to court….

Silly old Death…..
So much starker, and darker
then is brother Birth…
and so, my life on Earth….

Good night…..