by Pa Rock
Poetry Appreciator
Halloween. A time for glorifying and celebrating some of the strange and creepier aspects of our culture with parties, and costumes, and candy, candy, candy! Despite its pagan roots, our modern celebration of Halloween has evolved into a sugar-coated, festive occasion. The Latin American Day of the Dead, which will be celebrated tomorrow and the next day, is also celebratory, though with trappings a bit more morbid.
This day, Halloween, has evolved through, and been embellished by, ghost stories, one of the more famous of which is Washington Irving's horror classic, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, an eerie tale involving a headless horseman.
Jack Prelutsky, a writer who composes lyrical poetry for children, has used the notion of a "headless horseman" to set a dark and frightening mood, one that befits the encroaching darkness and galloping dangers of a more ancient Halloween.
Trick or treat?
The Headless Horseman Rides Tonight
by Jack Prelutsky
Poetry Appreciator
Halloween. A time for glorifying and celebrating some of the strange and creepier aspects of our culture with parties, and costumes, and candy, candy, candy! Despite its pagan roots, our modern celebration of Halloween has evolved into a sugar-coated, festive occasion. The Latin American Day of the Dead, which will be celebrated tomorrow and the next day, is also celebratory, though with trappings a bit more morbid.
This day, Halloween, has evolved through, and been embellished by, ghost stories, one of the more famous of which is Washington Irving's horror classic, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, an eerie tale involving a headless horseman.
Jack Prelutsky, a writer who composes lyrical poetry for children, has used the notion of a "headless horseman" to set a dark and frightening mood, one that befits the encroaching darkness and galloping dangers of a more ancient Halloween.
Trick or treat?
The Headless Horseman Rides Tonight
by Jack Prelutsky
The Headless Horseman rides tonight
Through stark and starless skies,
Shattering the silence with
His otherworldly cries.
He races through the darkness
On his alabaster steed,
The Headless Horseman rides tonight,
Wherever the fates would lead.
And he rides upon the wind tonight,
He rides upon the wind,
Galloping, galloping, galloping on
Out of the great oblivion,
Galloping till the night is gone.
He rides upon the wind, tonight,
He rides upon the wind.
The Headless Horseman rides tonight
Beggared in robes of black,
To bear a being from the earth,
Never to bring him back.
He’s evil, foul, and bottoming,
With laughter on his breath.
The Headless Horseman rides tonight,
The minister of death.
And he rides upon the wind tonight,
He rides upon the wind,
Galloping, galloping, galloping on
Out of the great oblivion,
Galloping till the night is gone.
He rides upon the wind, tonight,
He rides upon the wind.
The Headless Horseman rides tonight,
He rides the wind alone.
Beneath his arm he tightly tucks
His head of gleaming bone.
His voice is harsh and hollow,
It is horrible to hear.
The Headless Horseman rides tonight
To fill the earth with fear!
And he rides upon the wind tonight,
He rides upon the wind,
Galloping, galloping, galloping on
Out of the great oblivion,
Galloping till the night is gone.
He rides upon the wind, tonight,
He rides upon the wind.
The Headless Horseman rides tonight
Upon his fateful trip,
With silvery stiles of steely death
Held fast in boney grip.
He sweeps it swiftly forth and back
As over the earth he glides,
And none in the world is safe tonight,
For the Headless Horseman rides.
And he rides upon the wind tonight,
He rides upon the wind,
Galloping, galloping, galloping on
Out of the great oblivion,
Galloping till the night is gone.
He rides upon the wind, tonight,
He rides upon the wind.
Through stark and starless skies,
Shattering the silence with
His otherworldly cries.
He races through the darkness
On his alabaster steed,
The Headless Horseman rides tonight,
Wherever the fates would lead.
And he rides upon the wind tonight,
He rides upon the wind,
Galloping, galloping, galloping on
Out of the great oblivion,
Galloping till the night is gone.
He rides upon the wind, tonight,
He rides upon the wind.
The Headless Horseman rides tonight
Beggared in robes of black,
To bear a being from the earth,
Never to bring him back.
He’s evil, foul, and bottoming,
With laughter on his breath.
The Headless Horseman rides tonight,
The minister of death.
And he rides upon the wind tonight,
He rides upon the wind,
Galloping, galloping, galloping on
Out of the great oblivion,
Galloping till the night is gone.
He rides upon the wind, tonight,
He rides upon the wind.
The Headless Horseman rides tonight,
He rides the wind alone.
Beneath his arm he tightly tucks
His head of gleaming bone.
His voice is harsh and hollow,
It is horrible to hear.
The Headless Horseman rides tonight
To fill the earth with fear!
And he rides upon the wind tonight,
He rides upon the wind,
Galloping, galloping, galloping on
Out of the great oblivion,
Galloping till the night is gone.
He rides upon the wind, tonight,
He rides upon the wind.
The Headless Horseman rides tonight
Upon his fateful trip,
With silvery stiles of steely death
Held fast in boney grip.
He sweeps it swiftly forth and back
As over the earth he glides,
And none in the world is safe tonight,
For the Headless Horseman rides.
And he rides upon the wind tonight,
He rides upon the wind,
Galloping, galloping, galloping on
Out of the great oblivion,
Galloping till the night is gone.
He rides upon the wind, tonight,
He rides upon the wind.
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