Spooky Tree

Rydhun was a smart boy
as naughty as can be
He made up a story
of a ghost on a tree

He scared the smaller kids
Aged five, four and three
with stories of demons
And dead men walking free

One fine day
the big boys played a prank
they tied a white cloth
On the tree's high branch
When the wind whistled thru it
It was scary sight to watch

Rydhun walked under the tree
with not a fear in the world
When an eerie voice
Made him look up
The waving cloth
Got him all spooked up

He screamed his lungs out
and made a dash for his life
All bravery flushed out
His stories flashed before his eyes
He tripped and fell
Was it a zombie from hell?

Big boys had a laugh
at his expense
There was no real ghost
no real suspense

Days passed by
Rydhun avoided the tree
Haunter became the haunted
Mind was no longer free

Two days later a child fell off
while getting a kite free
Another child got hurt
by chance under the tree

By and by
the legend slowly grew
Stories of zombie sightings
seemed all true

Association took a call,
to cut down the tree.
Tree lovers tried to stall,
but it was not to be

The fateful axe
had a destiny to keep
because after all
children needed to sleep

People gathered to see
the grand old tree
brought down on its knee
supposedly to set some spirits free

Contractor was in luck
He was going to make a fast buck
He rubbed his hands in glee
how dumb could people really be

The woodcutter swung
with a mighty force
But Behold! The tree disappeared
from right under their nose

Jibrael Jos