Winner of the Hallowe’en ‘Flash Frightener’ competition 2007

Trick or Treat

T'was Halloween evening, and preparations had become such a chore,

When there came a knock, knock knocking at my wooden front door,

Bowl of sweets in hand, I went and opened it, only to see,

Three blood sucking vampires, standing there, just looking at me,

Children I'd expected but Vampires, I knew not how to greet,

So we just looked at each other until one said "Trick or Treat?"

Fearing what trick they might pull, should I so refuse,

I thrust out the bowl and said "Help yourself. Feel free to choose"

After some deliberation, they took all the Jelly Teeth with utter delight,

Thanked me profusely, turned into bats, and flew away into the night,

I'd only just recovered from this most strange of affairs,

When another knock on the door found some aliens gathered out there,

They said nothing but pointed at the bowl of sweets, all assorted,

They picked out all the Flying Saucers, then... teleported,

I'd hardly had chance to recover from my utter surprise,

When there came a rumbling and the undead did arise!

Who was I to refuse, even if this wasn't what I had planned,

They took all the sherbet dib daps but left me a hand.

There then proceeded a constant flow of goblins and ghouls,

Centaurs and minotaurs and princesses covered in jewels,

Each taking their turn to help themselves to my bowl of sweets,

Thanking me politely then going off down the street.

The mer-people, with fishy scales and hair long and blonde,

Took all the marshmallow shrimps and dived into my pond,

The werewolves, who were surprisingly quiet,

Took the fruit salads, as one said they were on diets,

The cannibals who already looked well fed,

Took all the Jelly Babies and bit off the heads.

And so Elves were delighted and witches weren't slighted,

And ogres were treated, whilst mummies feasted,

And demons were chewing, and ghosts were queuing,

but before all too long...

...the sweets were all gone!

And so slowly they all trickled away,

back to their realms that they'd left for the day,

Not at all what I expected but all so polite,

I do hope they come back next Halloween night.

Adrian Faulkner