Last night the new moon hadn’t hatched just yet
the stars were cold and clear while the human-made objects bleeped and blinked
weaving and wading between the Big Dipper
I spooked myself on purpose
I wanted to beat the scares
Walking in the dark of the night
coyotes far off with a kill
Howling for comrades to join
Rabbits darting across the pathway from casita to main house
50 yard dash -a lifetime to walk
I snuck past the ghosts in the old truck beds, whispering to them that I can be spooky too
Clutching my bag tightly, keys in hand
Pretending that behind my seat waits a killer
Some werewolf apparition
Timing it just right
until my headlights beam straight on those curving dirt roads
To reach around my seat and lunge
When I’ve had enough of this game
I turn the music up loud and roll down my window
drifting through the safety of these fresh October nights