First published in Spring, 2012, Volume 7, Issue 2, The Hatchet: Journal of Lizzie Borden Studies.

It lays beneath the bed
Filling little children
With fear and dread
When the lights go off
It wanders the room
A moving cloud of
Impending doom

Why doesn’t this monster
Find a new home
It peeks from the closet
It creaks and moans
And when the sun
rises bringing its light
The monster leaves
Out of sight