THE WAKE
by Ray O'Bannon


Five men sit sadly 'round Alistair Filch
who lies cold and dead as can be
The five weary men utter nary a word
for their job is to wait and to see

For Alistair Filch was a terrible man
and his passing, though quite a relief
gave rise to the thought that he might rise back up
with fangs in his gnarly old teeth

And the fact that he perished on Halloween night
sets nary a mortal at ease
for such horrible creatures are said to delight
in their games on such evenings as these

Ashes to ashes
not much of a deal
Dust to dust
only if you lie still

Five men sit sadly 'round Alistair Filch
the stillness of Midnight complete
until there's a soft muffled thumping
like a heart just beginning to beat

then Alistair rises, his eyes shining black
and his fangs glisten bright in his smile
for he knows all these men he now finds gathered 'round
and he's known them for quite a long while

The five men's eyes gleam with the same grim delight
for they're all five as evil as he
Their fangs shine like spikes in the moon's fading light
as they ponder the nights yet to be

Ashes to ashes
not much of a deal
Dust to dust
only if you lie still