THE NOISE

What is that terrible noise,

filling up the night air all around?

It sounds like a beast

getting down to its feast

with a sickening, lip-smacking sound.

What’s that unbearable noise?

It sounds like the grinding of bones!

Like the gnashing of jaws

and the tearing of claws

and the dashing of skulls onto stones.

What is that horrible noise?

There’s a whole nother part to it now!

It started with BANG

and ended with CLANG!

In the middle was something like ow.

That god-awful noise!

Like the splash of young boys

being tossed in a pot to make stew!

A horrible yelp, voices calling for help—

getting closer and closer and . . . hey.

Just a second, I think that it . . . say.

Am I . . . whoa.

Is it . . . oh.

That noise, I think, has now faded.

We’re in luck; something made it disperse.

Listen—try it—

it’s suddenly quiet,

and the quiet . . .

the quiet . . .

is worse.