A Daughter Found

by Aurora Lewis

First published in Spring, 2009, Volume 6, Issue 1, The Hatchet: Journal of Lizzie Borden Studies.

To live forever this is his curse

The taste of blood his constant thirst

His striking face hides iniquity

His noble manners without sincerity

Evil that walks in dark of night

Shielding himself from morning’s light

Those whose blood he has drawn

Retreat to tombs before the dawn

Only to rise again to stalk their prey

Feeding without mercy ‘til light of day

He spies a child walking alone 

Trying to find her way back home

Curls of sable, cheeks of rose

Tiny freckles adorn her nose

Her blood is fresh it has no taint

To become his treat, her mortal fate

Closing his eyes he remembers well

The life he had before this hell

A child he held in a father’s embrace

Lost to him in some far away place

He steps from shadows into her path

A gentleman’s bow, a kindly laugh

She searches his face, his engaging smile

Beaconing her to walk a while 

He takes her hand as if a friend

Leading the way to childhood’s end

His minions creep from their hiding place

Longing to stroke her, adore her face

But the hunger calls from deep within

Hidden by spurious smiles, mocking grins

But she is his and his alone

His chilling hiss, his look of stone

A warning to his beastly clan

Be gone least he raise his hand

The petite mademoiselle was his find

His chilling silence commands “She is mine!”

He lifts her tiny feet above the ground

Sympathetic to her whimpering sound

A daughter he again would know

One who will never age nor grow

His kisses her cheek to ease her fears

Then fangs draw blood mixed with tears

What she was now flows within his veins

And his, within in her to share his reign

Her girlish laugh has lost its ring 

Falling flat as the raven sings

Her eyes are void of innocence’s shine

What once was sweet now bitter brine

He takes her hand in nightly stroll

Father and daughter having lost their souls