First I check under the bed,
which is obviously crazy.
A monster that hides beneath the bed
isn’t scary—he’s just lazy.
Next I check the closet,
behind all the pants and shirts.
Make sure I see no beasties
wearing my old skirts.
I turn on the lights in the bathroom,
and once all the shadows are gone
I check that there’s no growling fiends
in the tub or on the john.
I glance in the hallway mirror
for a fanged and horrible face.
I look away, then back again—
you know, just in case.
The fridge, the stove, the pantry:
the kitchen is all clear.
I stop and have a cookie.
Why not? Since I’m here.
And then at last I’m confident
that the beasts have stayed away.
Now I lay me down and go to sleep.
Oops—too late—it’s day.