The pumpkins were perched on their porches with care

In hopes trick-or-treaters soon would be there

Young children were dressed like heroes and goblins

While visions of candy-bars danced in their noggins

And I in my jacket, and Anne in her frock

Had just ventured out for a nice nature walk

When up in the air there arose such a ruckus

I turned my gaze skyward to look right above us

“Brown Bats eating bugs,” I said with a laugh

Then Anne and I paused to watch their mad dash

The moon-glow surrounding their free-wheeling arcs

Gave lustre of specters to twilight’s blue dark

When what to our wondering eyes should emerge

But a cloud of mosquitoes, the official state bird

Then onto the path through the woods in the cold

We rushed toward the beach for our evening stroll

More sticky than taffy the spiderwebs came

I hollered, and shouted, and called them by name

“Now, Recluse! Now, Trapdoor! Now House and Orb Weaver!

On, Cellar! On, Widow! On, Lynx and Wolf Spider!

To the top of the bush! To the top of the tree!

Now get away! Get away! Get away from me!”

As leaves before October winds fly

When met with a leaf blower, mount to the sky

So up to the treetops the spiders they flew

And with my dear wife, I flew away, too

But then, in a panic, we heard in trees’ crests

The chitter and chatter of squirrels in their nests

We drew to trail’s end and were turning around

When from a tall pine, one came with a bound

He was dressed all in gray, from his head to his tail

And he ran down my back like the pelting of hail

Then onto my leg he jumped with a screech

So, with a shout, I fled for the beach

My eyes, how they widened! My heart, how it beat!

My legs moved like saw blades; I yelled out, “Retreat!”

Yet Anne’s little mouth was drawn up like a bow

She thought me quite silly, I was given to know

The sand felt refreshing between my bare toes

And on the high tide line, I started to slow

We had a full moon and a tide past its swell

That sloshed at the shore like an ear to a shell

‘Twas a beautiful night, a right jolly old time

And I smiled as I grasped my wife’s palm in mine

But a pinch on my toe and a flash in the sand

Soon gave me to know that I’d met a crab’s hand

He made not a sound but held tight to my skin

And though I kicked hard, he dug his claw in

So ghostly and white, away the thief stole

With the flesh of my foot, he escaped down his hole

I sprang to a sprint, to my wife gave a whistle

And away we both flew like the down of bull thistle

But I heard Anne exclaim, ere she ran out of sight—

“Happy Halloween to all, and to all a good night!”

This brilliant poem was written by Jessi Waugh with her son Bradley. Bradley Waugh is in third grade. He enjoys drawing, writing, and baseball. He also likes to hike nature trails and mountain climb.