Howling on the Moor

A fell creature howls on the moor,
Filling all rustic hearts with dread.
Locals fear the rising full moon,
Knowing the grievous harm it brings.
Farmers curse the loss of young stock;
Weeping mothers mourn murdered babes.

A hairy brute howls on the moor
While trembling men bury their dead.
One lone stalwart bravely sets out,
Vowing to kill that feral beast.
He loads his gun with silver shot,
Guessing the nature of his prey.

A savage fiend howls on the moor
While tracker finds a monstrous print.
Human eyes peer into the gloom;
Hordes of glaring red orbs stare back.
Shots ring out across gorsy hills,
But the speeding balls miss their marks.

A hungry pack howls on the moor
As bristling forms surround the man.
Doomed hunter becomes the hunted;
Falling upon his knees he prays.
Grim laughter mingles with mad screams;
Slavering jaws tear into flesh.

(Originally published in Scattered Verses, Moonlit Curses dark poetry anthology, May 2009)

Richard H. Fay is an author, artist, and home school dad who resides in Upstate New York. He is inspired by medieval history, myth, and legend, and the classics of fantasy literature. His diverse and interconnected interests drive his artistic endeavour. He writes fantasy prose and poetry, as well as dabbling in science fiction and horror. Recently he has decided to begin writing as more than just a sideline, although he has been writing seriously since the 1980s.

Find more by Richard H. Fay in the Author Index.

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