Zola Rising
by Gay Williford

Come along the tenth month
Zola Zee undergoes a transformation.
Her life becomes all about haunting,
scary apparitions and eerie happenings.
She wears dark outfits, lipstick
and ebony eye shadow daily.
Bats, vampires, ghouls and ghosts
populate her cluttered abode,
jack-o-lanterns glow,
large spiders crouch, black cats hiss,
while various brooms sweep into place
on her porch, poised for lift-off.

She prepares her witchy costume
with elaborate fuss and forethought.
A black-pointed hat crowns
green grease-paint, an ugly hooked nose
and several hairy warts.
Her flowing fluorescent cape
undulates strangely—all by itself.

Partying with costumed company only,
no one is ever asked to unmask;
bloody-red punch ingredients
are never questioned,
strange noises never probed
and spaghetti-like “brains”
wriggle in their bowl without comment.
Satisfied guests depart feeling
they have mixed with supernatural spirits
and been privy to “another dimension.”

Parceling out yellow, sugar eyeballs
is her signature Halloween treat
and those daring will drop by until midnight,
when some say they have seen
a phantom figure astride a broom
rise up from her front porch
and perform intricate loops
under the golden harvest moon.



 

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