Nocnitsa

the woods are dark and tangled
and the moonlight jangles white
along a twisted stony path
that leads away into the nowhere
a howling fills the stillness
overflowing like a scrabble
of beetles on porcelain tiles
in the shadows sits a something
with its head a leather pumpkin
oozing cherry-soda pus
and mewling for its mother
who is stalking just behind you
as you stumble through the darkness
heart beating like a thousand moths
inside a crystal ball of silver
and your breath is exploding
from your mouth of bitter stones
rushing fast like a locomotive
bellowing steam and flying spittle
but the thing is getting nearer
and it reaches out to grab you
pulls you close to kiss your lips
with a cracked wound full of teeth
claws skitter on your clothes
snag your skin and rip your soul
but the night is wrapping round you
in a duvet clinging whirlpool
that drags you from the slumber
throws you across
the nightmare room

breathing slows
into a whimper
rhythms fall
back to patter
as the grey light
of a morning
eases soft
against the curtains

blood
on the pillow
and a dripping
dripping dripping
of saliva on your face

you have brought something back from the night