Amen.

Once again, it's that time... it's finally HALLOWE'EN.

A gift for all of my family and friends who frequent this place:

Oh, the Hallowe'ens we had then were grand!
When we were just children clasping hands
To run in scared-happy mobs and then land
On walkways of rustling leaves, then to stand
On porches whose dim light was merely a band
Of candlelit grins from pumpkins, a strand
Of spiderweb beckoning us to command
The best view of what each of the haunters had planned!

Oh, the Hallowe'ens we had then were fun!
When costumes in late September were begun
As monsters and heroes, all favorites, now done,
Invaded the sidewalks with the dipping of the sun
Witches, there were, and Devils, more than one,
(Long before we could hear 'Devil's work!' from anyone)
Mummies, skeletons, fairies and bums
With smiles on our faces and candy in our tums.

Oh, the Hallowe'ens we had then were scary!
You never knew when to be festive or wary
And so we were both, and spent the night sharing
A laugh at what each of us proudly were wearing
Pointing to strangers who, amused, would be staring
At a menagerie miniature of once-a-year daring
And put up with the shrieks and the pranks and the scaring
And shake their heads, knowing they once had their pairing
Of costumes and treats and childish bearing

And after we left
They'd sigh with a smile
And take up each hand
And say, 'Oh, the Hallowe'ens we had then were grand...'

To each and every one of you, have a wondrous, scary, funny, spooky and thrilling
HALLOWE'EN!