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