Phyllis P. Colucci's Blog, page 2
March 31, 2025
Poetry and Fiction - Just "One Word" Away (Pillow Talk)
http://spillwords.com/author/phyllispcolucci/
https://www.amazon.com/Phyllis-P.-Colucci/e/B00VMU8B44
"Pillow Talk"
NowI lay me down to sleep…
Withplumped up pillow and silent weep
Thosedays are gone when Plush Bear was there
WhenI heard Mama’s voice and saw her loving stare
Stillevil ghosts dance in my head
Andchildhood monsters hide ‘neath my bed
Theyyearn to come out and play with me
But I’mall grown up, yet they still roam free
Ikeep the night light on ‘til morn
LikeMama did since the day I was born
Imaginaryfriends who used to visit
Havemoved on to homes, more exquisite
Istill hide under soft woolen covers
Meantfor children, and now grieving lovers
Thedarkness falls like a wicked cloud
Timeto say my prayers loud and proud
Hardto close my eyes when my heart is sad
Andthat echo of dead silence drives me mad
NowI lay me down to sleep…
Withplumped up pillow and silent weep
Paintingsof unicorns hang from my wall
Smilingclowns too, who seem to soften my fall
Myfall into slumber, to the unknown
Wheredreams bring “Smiles”, or Chills” to the bone
Isink my head deeper into the fluff of my pillow
Ihear sobs and wails from the Weeping Willow
Herwispy branches and tender leaves
Tapat my window as she stoically grieves
Grievesfor her lover who has died last year
Amongstthe brush and trees she loved so dear
Igrieve with her each lonely night
Itoo know that loss; our solemn plight
Wehave now become nocturnal friends
Perhapsfor comfort through nature’s lens
I amso thankful for our special bond
Witha smile on my lips, I have grown quite fond
Sonow I lay me down to sleep…
Withplumped up pillow and silent weep
March 20, 2025
Take a Literary Journey With Me... Fiction? Poetry?
http://spillwords.com/author/phyllispcolucci/
https://www.amazon.com/Phyllis-P.-Colucci/e/B00VMU8B44
Hi All:
Come...Take a Literary Journey With Me... Fiction anyone? Poetry? Love and Romance? Friends and Family? Betrayal? Deceit? Danger? Revenge? Psychological Suspense? Paperback? Ebook? Kindle Unlimited? Amazon? Goodreads? 📚📖📕📗📘📙📗📘
IT'S A FREE RIDE IF YOU DARE... ONE CLICK BELOW, AND YOU WILL BE RIGHT THERE... (Click Link) 💖 ENJOY!!!
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00VMU8B44
Love, Family, Deceit, The Tarot, Revenge:
Psychological Suspense/Romance/Insanity:
Love, Romance, Betrayal, The Mafia and the Family Priest:
Poetry (On Anything and Everything):
Psychological Suspense/Romance/Thriller:
Psychological Suspense/Romance/Danger - (It all started with a Christmas Card):
February 10, 2025
VALENTINE's DAY SPECIAL: "Lives Unbalanced" by Phyllis P. Colucci
...When Romance turns to Stalking... Run! - VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIAL: Free ebook on Amazon ("Lives Unbalanced" by Phyllis P. Colucci) Tuesday, February 11th through Saturday, February 15th. Get Yours! Enjoy the insanity and embrace the love! Leave an Amazon Rating/Review and/or Comment here on my blog. Would love to hear what you think... (Just Click Link below)
https://www.amazon.com/Lives-Unbalanced-Phyllis-P-Colucci-ebook/dp/B07LC4ZLJ5
Meet "Ramona" the rag doll... She travels freely across that fine line between Reality and the Supernatural in order to assist Susan in an insanely sane way. What may seem quite bizarre to some, is actually quite endearing to Susan and Ramona. Together they navigate through life, in love and friendship, as they set out to right the wrongs which fall within Susan's path. Susan is a lonely, introverted, middle-aged writer, searching for something or someone to fill the painful void in her life. Adding to that pain is news from Florida that her brother Marty had died unexpectedly. She soon realized how alone she truly was; although her sister-in-law and niece stayed in touch with her from time to time. Susan's only comfort now was knowing "Ramona" would remain her constant friend, companion and confidant through thick and thin. The handsome and wonderful Jim will enter her life as well. This new journey, however, will lead Susan down a dark path controlled by the wrath of the deranged "Joe"...Suspense and Romance drive the plot, with an added twist of mysticism, mystery and revenge.
January 31, 2025
Poetry and Fiction - Just "One Word" Away (Vertigo)
http://spillwords.com/author/phyllispcolucci/
https://www.amazon.com/Phyllis-P.-Colucci/e/B00VMU8B44
“VERTIGO”
This is one trip we take alone. Youdo not need a plan; you do not need a reservation; you do not need to board aplane, a ship, a bus, a train – or even a car. The itinerary is never clear.You just wake up within the madness, quite unexpectedly. The spinning…spinning…spinning.The nausea…nausea…nausea... it can last for minutes, hours, days and sometimesweeks. It is a ride of a lifetime that you experience once, and hope it neverhappens again; but it will happen again. You cannot get off this wild ride atwill. It feels as if you’ve been locked inside a washing machine on “spin”cycle; or stuck on some crazy ride in an amusement park that just will not stopto let you off. You are a prisoner to the world of “motion”. When it decides tolet you go, it will be on its own terms and not yours. So if the invitation isoffered to you, you must accept it. You can be rude and decline the invite; buttrust me, "it" will not allow you to make that choice. So make thebest of it and try to enjoy the ride...ugh!
Yes, you will be trapped within alocked capsule that no one ever sees. No one can rescue you and you may neverescape. Just more spinning…spinning…spinning. More nausea…nausea…nausea! Youwill never know what this contraption looks like, but you will know you arelocked away inside of it. It will twirl you into oblivion. You will certainlyfeel it. The spinning…spinning…spinning. The nausea…nausea…nausea. Thedizziness will stifle your strut as you head for a sturdy chair, the couch - orperhaps your bed. You will soon realize that lying down will not solve yourproblem. There will be not one iota of relief. You will place your head againstthe back of a hard wood chair for support, then to the soft cushions on yourcouch, then to the fluffy pillows on your bed. Nothing will help. You will trydesperately to support your head with your hands as you sink into a bed pillow;but it will all get worse. Even your eyes will hurt as your vision remainsunfocused. A decision needs to be made right now. Do you keep your eyes open,or close them shut? It really doesn’t matter, because the spinning will notstop either way. Indoors or outdoors, the uncontrolled motion is very much incontrol of you. Even the room you are in will now become your enemy. You willbe spinning one way, and the room will be spinning the other way.Faster…faster…faster! It will confine you to your misery. There will be nowhereto go and nowhere to hide. There will be nowhere to run, even if you could –but you can’t.
Oh no! I am so sorry! There it isagain…the spinning…spinning…spinning. The nausea…nausea…nausea. You want it tostop, but unfortunately it will not. You must let it run its course. That’swhat everyone tells you, even your wise physician. You wonder if they have everexperienced it, because that is the only way someone will understand. Tellingthem about it falls on deaf ears. It is much bigger than your words can everexplain. You can’t decide whether it is running faster than you, or you arerunning faster than it. It is the worst ride you have ever been on. It is theride from hell. You can almost hear the devil’s laughter as he thoroughlyenjoys your misery. You want to vomit, you can’t walk straight, you have nocontrol. Your once balanced world is so unsteady that you feel as if you are ina drunken stupor. You are intoxicated from the fumes of this unknown entity.Its tentacles envelop you and squeeze you like a woman’s corset. You can hardlybreathe as you patiently await that one chance to escape. That one chance nevercomes. This is one decision you have absolutely no say on. Yes, it must run itscourse, and it will eventually release you when it feels it is okay to do so,when it feels it is done with you…but it will be back. I can promise you that.
…and so it continues. Thespinning…spinning…spinning. The nausea…nausea…nausea. The room and thefurniture is spinning around you like a deadly EF5 tornado. Your head andstomach are fighting hard to keep in sync; but they are never in sync, even ifyou tell yourself they soon will be. The power of suggestion is weak here.Means nothing. You must live with this unwelcome monster who will continue tovisit you time and time again and send your world into a vicious frenzy. Thenext time it knocks at your door, reach for the “Meclizine” in your medicinecabinet. Do you remember those? They are the only ammunition you have availablein your arsenal. Be sure you always have those small fighting soldiers on hand.They will put this peril to a final rest – until the next time…but be preparedfor that next time, because those tiny little pills will serve as your privatearmy against “Vertigo”, where you will finally enjoy both Victory and Revenge.
December 30, 2024
"A Little Black Dress" (Poetry and Fiction - Just "One Word" Away)
http://spillwords.com/author/phyllispcolucci/
https://www.amazon.com/Phyllis-P.-Colucci/e/B00VMU8B44
“A Little BlackDress”
There was astory I was told
By an Uncle, long ago
About my lovingGrandmother
A story Ididn’t know
In the early1900’s
She had aspecial job
She was askedto be a “Mourner”
Although Ilistened, I found this odd
As a paid“Mourner”, at a stranger’s funeral
She would wail,she would cry; and I now ask “Why?”
For someone shedidn’t know?
In exchange for a bag of coal?
To heat her home and cook her food?
To protect her growing brood?
My Uncle,himself, was just a child
He had threeother brothers, including my Dad
There was hisbaby sister too –
My Grandfather;My Grandmother
And this storythat made me so sad
About that “LittleBlack Dress”
All thechildren knew so well
It hung outsidethe old closet
that had that cedar smell
They knewGrandmother would be heading out for the night
To perform aduty that literally brought home light
…Too young tofully understand…
Even I wasconfused, as I reached out for my Uncle’s hand
Begging him tofurther explain
As my cheek didbear one lonely tear stain
But before he toldme this full story
With all of its proud, yet humble glory
- About my Grandmother“Mourning - for Coal”
- About myGrandmother in those days of ol’…
He simply mentionedher “Little Black Dress”
The one on the hanger that caused this mess
The one she wore when she stepped out forthe night
The one that caused so much fright!
I thought, “Howcould this be?”
Was Grandmotherreally “A Lady of the Night”?
In a “Little Black Dress” that caused somuch fright?
My God, didGrandmother abandon her family?
to engage in something unmannerly?
Was she lookingfor lust; was she looking for money?
Was she lookingfor a taste of carnal honey?
Poor Grandfather!My poor Dad, Uncles and sweet Aunt…
My heartstopped as I listened some more!
Oh my God! I justcan’t!
I thought, “No!Not my loving Grandmother !”
Not this sweetItalian lady
who made the finest meat and gravy
She would neverbe a “Lady of the Night”
To me, myGrandmother was a “heroine”;
strong and so very bright
Then my Unclefinished up his story
and Iwas very glad he did…
I soon learnedGrandmother was a courageous woman,
battling the weather and fearing the darkness
Yet performed aduty - Yes, that she surely did!
Truth be told, shewas indeed a “Lady of the Night”
Loved,respected and revered - to her family’s delight
A beautifulwoman, wearing a “Little Black Dress”
Who wailed andcried for a stranger
Performing her task, more or less
A sign of thetimes, when very little was had
A sign of thetimes, that would make anyone mad
A sign of thetimes, which turned women into warriors
A sign of thetimes, that turned plain into glorious
Yes – just a wail,a bag of coal, and a “Little Black Dress”
To my wonderful Grandmother – Much Love andGod Bless!
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
The above poem is a true story astold to me by one of my paternal Uncles, about his Mom and my Grandmother. Thisseemed to be a common occurrence in the early 1900s, and perhaps even in thelate 1800s and before. I found this story intriguing as well as historical. It wasa great story about my Grandmother, who performed a selfless act in order tocare for and protect her family; it was also a story about a time in history Iwould never have known about if it weren’t for my Uncle, who shared it one daywhile we were simply talking over a meal at his dining room table. This was awonderful treat for me. I will cherish this moment and this story forever. Itis part of my family history.
October 23, 2024
"You Must Believe" (Spillwords Press Christmas Theme, 2024)
http://spillwords.com/author/phyllispcolucci/
https://www.amazon.com/Phyllis-P.-Colucci/e/B00VMU8B44
“You MustBelieve”
Yuletide Spiritsfrom long ago
Came tappingat my door
I welcomedthem with open arms
As theyshuffled ‘cross my floor
They broughtwreaths of gold
And silverstars
Cinnamonsticks in cookie jars
Garland madeof holly and love
A Christmasornament of a White Dove
Theydecorated my home with tons of glee
Dancingaround my Christmas tree
They did notspeak as I hoped they would
So I justsmiled as best I could
I left themto pleasantly “haunt” my house
While Iretired upstairs like a quiet little mouse
I wrappedmyself up in my Christmas duvet
And listenedjoyfully to the “Nutcracker” Ballet
WhileYuletide Spirits from long ago
Kept themagic of Christmas all aglow
I soon fellinto slumber on this Christmas Eve
As theywhispered sweetly, “You must believe!”
The snowfell softly throughout the night
I woke up towhite mounds of pure delight
I followedthe scent of cinnamon and pine
Down thestairs! What a magical find!
A holidaytable set for a family of nine
A turkey inthe oven and large bottles of wine
ChristmasCarols playing on an old radio
Presents allwrapped and ready to go
Thefireplace radiant with its amber glow
I had noidea, how was I to know?
My redvelvet dress was set out for a Queen
I cried as Iembraced this exquisite scene
I hurriedlydressed for Christmas Day
My YuletideSpirits paved the way
My doorbellrang quite loud this year
My familyarrived with Christmas Cheer
… I can hearthe Spirits from this past Eve
Whisperingsweetly, “You must believe!”
August 29, 2024
Poetry and Fiction – Just “One Word” Away (Poe)
http://spillwords.com/author/phyllispcolucci/
https://www.amazon.com/Phyllis-P.-Colucci/e/B00VMU8B44
One word becomes oneidea, becomes one sentence, becomes one poem, becomes one story. It must startfrom just “one word”.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: This piece is a bit of“Flash Fiction”, focusing on a young woman’s wish and desire to meet thestrange, incomparable and very talented writer, Mr. Edgar Allan Poe. If youwish hard enough, even the impossible may be possible.
“Poe”
Oneday while visiting a local storefront Fortune Teller, just for fun of course, Ibecame entwined in a magical web that led me down a path I had never travelledbefore. This Fortune Teller, who called herself Ms. Silvia, looked into her crystal ball and said, “Oh my dear younglady, please tell me, what is your wish? I see that there is something veryspecial you have been yearning for. Tell me. I want to hear you speak yourdesire. I can grant you your wish, but you must speak it loudly to the spiritsof the universe. My crystal ball is showing me a strange gentleman of the artswhom you have a strong desire to meet.”
Iwas dumbfounded. I was speechless; but I was curious. I knew immediately whatand who she was talking about. Could this be real? Can she grant me my specialwish, my true desire? She asked me again, “Young lady, what do you desire?Please tell me your wish. Is it to meet this gentleman of the arts?” I stareddeeply into her large dark brown eyes and replied, “Yes ma’am. My wish and mydesire is to meet the one and only Edgar Allan Poe. A writer of the mostintriguing poems and short stories I have ever read. He is a master of mysteryand the macabre. I would love to have a conversation with him.”
Ms.Silvia said, “Give me your hand, dear.” She placed my hand on top of hercrystal ball and said, “Your wish has been granted, my friend. Go in peace.” Ihanded her the twenty dollars she charged for a reading and said, “Really Ms.Silvia? Is that it? Go in Peace? Forgive me for saying this, but you are justlike any other Fortune Teller. You just take the money and run. Will you behere tomorrow? The next day? The next? I doubt it. You will probably pick up,disappear and set up shop somewhere else, leaving fools like me feeling usedand abused by your scam… Have a good day, Ms. Silvia. Thanks for theentertainment. I won’t be back.” Ms. Silvia just smiled at me and said, “Bepatient my dear. You must believe in your heart, even if your mind tells younot to. You will come back to thank me. I will see you very soon, dear.” Ilaughed at her as I shook my head in annoyance, and left her little shop.
AsI walked through the park to make my way home, I heard footsteps behind me. Ipicked up my pace out of fear, in hopes the stranger at my back would pass meby without incident…and he did; but he took a seat on the old wooden park benchoutside the doggie park. I quickly walked past, without making eye contact,when he said, “Excuse me Miss, I am new in the neighborhood, and I was justwondering if you would be kind enough to direct me to the nearest café. If you wouldlike to join me, I would gladly buy you a cup of coffee for your time.”
Iwas startled, but I approached the bench. I knew nothing bad would happen inthis crowded park. This gentleman seemed kind enough. He looked a bit“outdated” in his attire and mannerisms, yet he was quite sincere. Heintroduced himself to me as “Mr. Poe”. He told me he was a writer. He was dressed in black with a black capeover his shoulders. He had dark hair and a mustache, and his dark eyes weremystifying. He reeled me in with a stare, and I wanted to know more about him.I suddenly felt weak. Could Ms. Silvia have granted me my wish? Was she genuine?This was surreal… I politely responded that my name was Carol and I wasdelighted to make his acquaintance. He got up from the bench, offered his arm,and together we strolled to the café two blocks down from the park.
Overcoffee, we discovered we both shared a great love of poetry and short stories.We discussed “The Raven”, “Annabel Lee”, “The Pit and the Pendulum”, “The Caskof Amontillado”, and so much more. Oh my God. I knew it was him. He gave medetailed information on how each poem and short story was created. Then hepulled out a leather-bound book from his tattered satchel, titled “The CompleteTales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe”. Inside he wrote – “To My Dearest Carol.Thank You for today. Please enjoy this book. Eternally yours, Edgar.” He handedme the book, got up from his seat, kissed my cheek, walked out of the café, anddisappeared into the afternoon sunlight. I didn’t have a chance to say goodbye.I just placed my hand on my cheek, exactly where he kissed me, and feltelectrified. Something magical, and much bigger than myself, just happened tome…I was already missing this strange man, who lived in another time andanother place, many years ago.
…Istared and stared after him, hoping to catch a last glimpse of the Man I nowshare a literary love affair with; but he was gone. My heart was pounding. Iwas forever grateful that I had been given this wondrous opportunity to meetthe great Edgar Allan Poe, and to have spent a bit of time with him. A teardropfell from my eye onto the book. I realized from this moment on that Edgar and Iwere connected forever. This encounter would transcend time, and I knew in myheart Edgar and I would meet again one day; if not in this life, perhaps in thenext… I left the café with a bittersweet heart and headed over to see Ms.Silvia. She was certainly correct in saying I would be back to thank her. I trulyneeded to apologize to her for not believing in her and for speaking so harshlyto her when I left her shop. So that’s just what I did. I heard the footstepsagain, and I felt the spirit of Mr. Poe behind me. Together we headed over to visitMs. Silvia – me and the marvelous Mr. Edgar Allan Poe.
August 21, 2024
"A STROLL THROUGH THE GRAVEYARD THIS HALLOWEEN NIGHT" (SPILLWORDS PRESS HALLOWEEN THEME - 2024)
http://spillwords.com/author/phyllispcolucci/
https://www.amazon.com/Phyllis-P.-Colucci/e/B00VMU8B44
(Pinterest Photo)
(Pinterest Photo)
" A STROLL THROUGH THE GRAVEYARD THIS HALLOWEENNIGHT "
Yes,we did the unimaginable tonight. We took that frightful stroll we vowed wewould never do - until now, that is…Yes, my very dear friendand I, arm in arm, house by house, pumpkin by pumpkin, witch by witch, ghost by ghost; we walkedpast it all. We were on our way to the dark abyss to visit the macabre wherestrange things happen on Halloween Night. As apprehensive as we felt, we werestill quite eager to fully embrace this, and tempt fate; and that we did, myfriends.
Brightorange lights illuminated the cobblestone streets, and ignited the unkemptlawns and grossly cracked sidewalks. Ghostly shadows came to life as theydanced in the moonlight...Eerie voices hummed in the distance, echoed in the nightair, and bounced off the face of the full moon. Children were dressed inHalloween style, laughing their way deep into their trick-or-treat bags,snacking on sweets galore…So innocent, yet so chilling. A paradox of emotions dancedin our heads this Halloween Night.
Westopped at the graveyard gate (the place we vowed we would never go). It wasunlocked and it squeaked from age as it swung back and forth, badgered by the chillingAutumn winds. Should we or shouldn’t we? - Why not? It’s Halloween night.Let’s do this! So as dusk settled in all around us, and blanketed my friend andme with its cold wretched hands, we welcomed it. It was all part of our journeythis Halloween night…Something sinister invited us to enter the graveyard. So, courageously,we pushed open the unlocked, squeaking gate, decayed from age, and we steppedinside this ancient graveyard. We kicked our way through the crisp, cracklingleaves beneath our feet in order to clear a path to somewhere.
The toweringtombstones were huge and not very welcoming. They cast their dark shadows uponthe ground below, as some tilted left, some tilted right, others tiltedbackward, and others tilted forward. They were decrepit, intimidating andrelentless. They begged for a way to come up out of the ground where they’vebeen imprisoned for centuries. They wanted to be free to exist like my friendand I, like all humanity, but they were destined to remain in their darkenedabode; their final destination. They were inanimate “stone guards”, assigned towatch over the souls of the dead for eternity. These weeping angels and gothicvultures were watching us watch them. We stared at these stone structures indisbelief, as they stared back wanting to speak. We did not want to wait aroundin case that happened. We did not want to hear a moan or a groan from these“stone guards”.
…Myfriend and I just kept moving. We feared if we did not move fast enough, wemight suffer the same existence as those towering tombstones. Anything canhappen on Halloween night. So we continued to walk briskly, guided by the lightfrom an unsmiling moon; each footstep in sync to the sound of crisp autumnleaves and graveyard debris beneath our feet. We were tormented by the growingshadows from the friendless tombstones on despondent graves, as we continuedalong our way…Such old graves, such lonely and forgotten souls. How melancholyand heartbreaking. They were all as old as the centuries, from long ago, and wefelt their pain tug at our heartstrings. We whispered a prayer this Halloweennight; a prayer for “them” and a prayer for “us”, in hopes we would make it outof this ancient graveyard unscathed, with our souls intact.
Stillhaunted by each lonely grave, our curiosity gave us the strength and stamina togo on. Yes, my friends, we were frightened as frightened can be…until we hearda party going on. It sounded like a joyful Halloween Party occurring in the oldChurch on the graveyard grounds. This brought us great comfort as we headedtoward that old Church.
Wecould see through the church windows, the black silhouettes of men dressed intop hats and women dressed with flowing gowns. They danced about with suchclass and grace; which left us wondering who these people were. Since we were abit tired and somewhat scared, we wanted human interaction on this Halloween nightinstead of ghostly cries from beyond the grave. So, yes…My friend and I walkedup those few wooden steps to the front door of the old Church and entered withglee.
Wewere greeted by a beautiful woman dressed in a black and purple witch’s costume,who handed us each a glass of champagne with a smile. She was stunning, she waskind, and we felt so at ease. Surprisingly, we were going to a Halloween Partythis Halloween night…She invited us inside, and we immediately accepted. Shewas quite friendly and hospitable. She told us to head down the aisle of thisold Church, to the altar, and sign in as her guests with the gentleman whoseemed to be waiting for us. He was dressed in a devil’s costume, the best Ihad ever seen. The material was exquisite and he wore it to perfection. If Ididn’t know better, I believe he could have passed for Satan himself…but no –not in this old Church. How ungodly would that be? This was simply a strangeparty in an old church, in an ancient graveyard on Halloween night, of course.
Sowe walked over to him, as we were told to do, and he stamped our hands withorange ink that read “Happy Halloween 666”. His smile was a bit terrifying…Ugh!That is the devil’s number, the anti-Christ. Something did not feel right. Myfriend and I looked at each other and decided this was all “ungodly” and it wastime to go. However, “Mr. Lucifer” in costume, and in no uncertain terms, said,“Oh you cannot leave without checking out. Anyone who checks in, must check out.”So he handed us each a checkout ticket, and instructed us to follow the roadout front, which would lead us to our destination, where we may check out. Hegave us both a wicked and icy kiss on our cheeks that left us cold, and we flewout of the old Church like two bats out of hell. The beautiful and stunning womandressed in the witch’s costume, who greeted us at the front door of the oldChurch with two glasses of champagne, and who we thought was so wonderful, kindand hospitable, laughed with insanity as we made our way past her. Her laughterrang in our ears. It was ghastly, my friends.
So,as my dear friend and I exited the old Church and headed for the road thatwould lead us away from this devil’s lair, we became confused, scared andbreathless. Fear had set in and we had no idea what our destination would be.All we knew was we must walk this road “Mr. Lucifer” in costume instructed usto do, and hope for the best. So we walked and walked until we could walk nomore. We reached a dead end, and we were lost in darkness. Chilling echoes fromthe voices of the dead tormented us as we stumbled about.
Wethen came across two square tombstones that looked fairly new; as if they wererecently placed there. They were the only two tombstones illuminated by theeerie moonlight. All else was completely dark. This was quite strange to see inthis ancient graveyard. So we walked closer to the tombstones in order to seewhat was written on them, in hopes there might be a hint to an escape for us. Instead,we were confronted with a Halloween horror. The tombstone on the left had myname on it with date of death October 31, 2024. The tombstone on the right hadmy friend’s name on it with date of death October 31, 2024…Oh No! That istonight. Halloween Night! This can’t be…So hand in hand we ran. We ran as fastas we could. We ran as fast as lightning! We both lost our shoes, and foundourselves sinking in mud with every step. Suddenly, we fell into what seemedlike a sinkhole. We were dropping so fast we couldn’t breathe. It was likebeing tossed about in a wind tunnel, in free fall. It was bottomless! We had nocontrol. Our destiny awaited us. We had to succumb to the inevitable.
Wewere still holding hands, ever so tightly, afraid to let go…as we continued tofall…fall…fall… deeper into the unknown…deeper into the Gates of Hell on thisHalloween night…It was so cold, so wet, so dark and so unending…we both closedour eyes tightly, and awaited a harsh, painful end; courtesy of “Mr. Lucifer”...Suddenly,before we hit bottom, a ray of light shone upon us. We looked at each other inamazement and embraced one another as our feet softly touched the ground. Bythe grace of God, we were spared, my friends! We were safe and sound andeternally grateful for this miraculous blessing.
…Oh myGod! My bedroom alarm went off. Was this all a trick or a treat? No, it wasjust a dream; a Halloween Dream I will never forget. My friend and I made itthrough a perilous Halloween stroll through an ancient graveyard of sorts, andwe actually survived. This was something we vowed we would never do…and nowmore than ever it is a promise we will keep… Well, I guess the “trick” was on“Mr. Lucifer” who we outsmarted somehow on this Halloween night. Since this wasmy dream, and my dream alone, I must phone my friend today and tell her allabout our stroll through an ancient graveyard last night…that crazy “something”we always talked about, yet vowed we would never do. It was quite a journey. Asthey say, “We’ve been to hell and back!” Happy Halloween All…
A STROLL THROUGH THE GRAVEYARD THIS HALLOWEEN NIGHT (2024)
http://spillwords.com/author/phyllispcolucci/
https://www.amazon.com/Phyllis-P.-Colucci/e/B00VMU8B44
(Pinterest Photo)
(Pinterest Photo)
" A STROLL THROUGH THE GRAVEYARD THIS HALLOWEENNIGHT "
Yes,we did the unimaginable tonight. We took that frightful stroll we vowed wewould never do - until now, that is…Yes, my very dear friendand I, arm in arm, house by house, pumpkin by pumpkin, witch by witch, ghost by ghost; we walkedpast it all. We were on our way to the dark abyss to visit the macabre wherestrange things happen on Halloween Night. As apprehensive as we felt, we werestill quite eager to fully embrace this, and tempt fate; and that we did, myfriends.
Brightorange lights illuminated the cobblestone streets, and ignited the unkemptlawns and grossly cracked sidewalks. Ghostly shadows came to life as theydanced in the moonlight...Eerie voices hummed in the distance, echoed in the nightair, and bounced off the face of the full moon. Children were dressed inHalloween style, laughing their way deep into their trick-or-treat bags,snacking on sweets galore…So innocent, yet so chilling. A paradox of emotions dancedin our heads this Halloween Night.
Westopped at the graveyard gate (the place we vowed we would never go). It wasunlocked and it squeaked from age as it swung back and forth, badgered by the chillingAutumn winds. Should we or shouldn’t we? - Why not? It’s Halloween night.Let’s do this! So as dusk settled in all around us, and blanketed my friend andme with its cold wretched hands, we welcomed it. It was all part of our journeythis Halloween night…Something sinister invited us to enter the graveyard. So, courageously,we pushed open the unlocked, squeaking gate, decayed from age, and we steppedinside this ancient graveyard. We kicked our way through the crisp, cracklingleaves beneath our feet in order to clear a path to somewhere.
The toweringtombstones were huge and not very welcoming. They cast their dark shadows uponthe ground below, as some tilted left, some tilted right, others tiltedbackward, and others tilted forward. They were decrepit, intimidating andrelentless. They begged for a way to come up out of the ground where they’vebeen imprisoned for centuries. They wanted to be free to exist like my friendand I, like all humanity, but they were destined to remain in their darkenedabode; their final destination. They were inanimate “stone guards”, assigned towatch over the souls of the dead for eternity. These weeping angels and gothicvultures were watching us watch them. We stared at these stone structures indisbelief, as they stared back wanting to speak. We did not want to wait aroundin case that happened. We did not want to hear a moan or a groan from these“stone guards”.
…Myfriend and I just kept moving. We feared if we did not move fast enough, wemight suffer the same existence as those towering tombstones. Anything canhappen on Halloween night. So we continued to walk briskly, guided by the lightfrom an unsmiling moon; each footstep in sync to the sound of crisp autumnleaves and graveyard debris beneath our feet. We were tormented by the growingshadows from the friendless tombstones on despondent graves, as we continuedalong our way…Such old graves, such lonely and forgotten souls. How melancholyand heartbreaking. They were all as old as the centuries, from long ago, and wefelt their pain tug at our heartstrings. We whispered a prayer this Halloweennight; a prayer for “them” and a prayer for “us”, in hopes we would make it outof this ancient graveyard unscathed, with our souls intact.
Stillhaunted by each lonely grave, our curiosity gave us the strength and stamina togo on. Yes, my friends, we were frightened as frightened can be…until we hearda party going on. It sounded like a joyful Halloween Party occurring in the oldChurch on the graveyard grounds. This brought us great comfort as we headedtoward that old Church.
Wecould see through the church windows, the black silhouettes of men dressed intop hats and women dressed with flowing gowns. They danced about with suchclass and grace; which left us wondering who these people were. Since we were abit tired and somewhat scared, we wanted human interaction on this Halloween nightinstead of ghostly cries from beyond the grave. So, yes…My friend and I walkedup those few wooden steps to the front door of the old Church and entered withglee.
Wewere greeted by a beautiful woman dressed in a black and purple witch’s costume,who handed us each a glass of champagne with a smile. She was stunning, she waskind, and we felt so at ease. Surprisingly, we were going to a Halloween Partythis Halloween night…She invited us inside, and we immediately accepted. Shewas quite friendly and hospitable. She told us to head down the aisle of thisold Church, to the altar, and sign in as her guests with the gentleman whoseemed to be waiting for us. He was dressed in a devil’s costume, the best Ihad ever seen. The material was exquisite and he wore it to perfection. If Ididn’t know better, I believe he could have passed for Satan himself…but no –not in this old Church. How ungodly would that be? This was simply a strangeparty in an old church, in an ancient graveyard on Halloween night, of course.
Sowe walked over to him, as we were told to do, and he stamped our hands withorange ink that read “Happy Halloween 666”. His smile was a bit terrifying…Ugh!That is the devil’s number, the anti-Christ. Something did not feel right. Myfriend and I looked at each other and decided this was all “ungodly” and it wastime to go. However, “Mr. Lucifer” in costume, and in no uncertain terms, said,“Oh you cannot leave without checking out. Anyone who checks in, must check out.”So he handed us each a checkout ticket, and instructed us to follow the roadout front, which would lead us to our destination, where we may check out. Hegave us both a wicked and icy kiss on our cheeks that left us cold, and we flewout of the old Church like two bats out of hell. The beautiful and stunning womandressed in the witch’s costume, who greeted us at the front door of the oldChurch with two glasses of champagne, and who we thought was so wonderful, kindand hospitable, laughed with insanity as we made our way past her. Her laughterrang in our ears. It was ghastly, my friends.
So,as my dear friend and I exited the old Church and headed for the road thatwould lead us away from this devil’s lair, we became confused, scared andbreathless. Fear had set in and we had no idea what our destination would be.All we knew was we must walk this road “Mr. Lucifer” in costume instructed usto do, and hope for the best. So we walked and walked until we could walk nomore. We reached a dead end, and we were lost in darkness. Chilling echoes fromthe voices of the dead tormented us as we stumbled about.
Wethen came across two square tombstones that looked fairly new; as if they wererecently placed there. They were the only two tombstones illuminated by theeerie moonlight. All else was completely dark. This was quite strange to see inthis ancient graveyard. So we walked closer to the tombstones in order to seewhat was written on them, in hopes there might be a hint to an escape for us. Instead,we were confronted with a Halloween horror. The tombstone on the left had myname on it with date of death October 31, 2024. The tombstone on the right hadmy friend’s name on it with date of death October 31, 2024…Oh No! That istonight. Halloween Night! This can’t be…So hand in hand we ran. We ran as fastas we could. We ran as fast as lightning! We both lost our shoes, and foundourselves sinking in mud with every step. Suddenly, we fell into what seemedlike a sinkhole. We were dropping so fast we couldn’t breathe. It was likebeing tossed about in a wind tunnel, in free fall. It was bottomless! We had nocontrol. Our destiny awaited us. We had to succumb to the inevitable.
Wewere still holding hands, ever so tightly, afraid to let go…as we continued tofall…fall…fall… deeper into the unknown…deeper into the Gates of Hell on thisHalloween night…It was so cold, so wet, so dark and so unending…we both closedour eyes tightly, and awaited a harsh, painful end; courtesy of “Mr. Lucifer”...Suddenly,before we hit bottom, a ray of light shone upon us. We looked at each other inamazement and embraced one another as our feet softly touched the ground. Bythe grace of God, we were spared, my friends! We were safe and sound andeternally grateful for this miraculous blessing.
…Oh myGod! My bedroom alarm went off. Was this all a trick or a treat? No, it wasjust a dream; a Halloween Dream I will never forget. My friend and I made itthrough a perilous Halloween stroll through an ancient graveyard of sorts, andwe actually survived. This was something we vowed we would never do…and nowmore than ever it is a promise we will keep… Well, I guess the “trick” was on“Mr. Lucifer” who we outsmarted somehow on this Halloween night. Since this wasmy dream, and my dream alone, I must phone my friend today and tell her allabout our stroll through an ancient graveyard last night…that crazy “something”we always talked about, yet vowed we would never do. It was quite a journey. Asthey say, “We’ve been to hell and back!” Happy Halloween All…
July 26, 2024
Poetry and Fiction - Just "One Word" Away (Awake)
http://spillwords.com/author/phyllispcolucci/
https://www.amazon.com/Phyllis-P.-Colucci/e/B00VMU8B44
(Photo from Pinterest)
"Awake"
People and Places I never knew
Conversations with strangers
I was forced to embrace
Coffees and Teas from faraway lands
Wines that warmed my soul
and calmed my hands
Foods from all cultures
Which spoke to my palate
Interesting to say the least…
Tales of woe that pained my ears
Tales so harsh my heart cried
Unimaginable words I was forced to listen to
I had no control! I thought I had died…
I was banished away
to worlds not of my choosing
sometimes winning; sometimes losing
Yes - I laughed, I cried
I frowned, I sighed
I told the truth; I sometimes lied
I giggled when appropriate
If I had something to hide
I even hugged a child or two
I may have fallen in Love as well
With this “Perfect Man” who kissed my hand
I was lost, yet found, in this new land
I lived with a family where I did not belong
Eager to share my story in a song
I had sweet children I never knew…
Sons and Daughters who needed me
And somehow I needed them very much too
It was no longer just “I”;
It was “Us” through and through
I sang lullabies to precious infants
cradled in my arms
As I sat in a wooden rocking chair
in a strange room; in a strange house
sheltering them from harm
Yet, it became my life
I had no other choice
It was a new me, a different me
Perhaps, with a different voice
I had a lucrative career
I certainly was not prepared for
And I was making money…lots and lots of money
Drank black coffee on my breaks
and herbal teas with honey
I went to work in tailored skirts
and designer dresses all new to me
Wore stiletto heels that hurt my feet
Still strutted proudly, beautifully and free
My boss was kind and smoked expensive cigars
And I traveled on planes, I always feared;
For business meetings, local and abroad,
For a boss who was quite revered
I had a whole new life that wasn’t me
But it sure felt wonderful to be “me”
…and it continued on every day…
It was wonderful. What can I say?
Oh my God…
More People and Places I never knew
Conversations with strangers
I was forced to embrace
But who was I?
Where was I?
What was I doing in places like this?
Eating fine foods, drinking fine wines
Coffees…Teas
Total bliss!
How did I get here?
With these strange families?
With these children of mine?
With precious babies smiling up at me?
This “Perfect Man”
I had new eyes to see
So magical a place to be!
An incredible job
A kind boss who smoked expensive cigars
And money…lots of money
Journeys on airplanes… Fancy clothes
Business meetings abroad…Faraway places
Oh no! What is happening?
I’m “Awake”…It was all just a dream
A perfect dream
Now that it’s gone, I miss it all
I never had a chance to say goodbye
Will they miss me, as much as I miss them?
So much was left unfinished, so much left unsaid
Perhaps I can visit in my next dream
Will they remember me?
I’m “Awake” now, and I’ll never know
…Time to get the kids ready for school
Put fresh coffee up for my “Perfect Man”
Then head out to my job in the Big City
With my kind boss who smokes expensive cigars
While I answer his phones,
Transcribe his work reports
Create his excel sheets
and keep his calendar in tact
As I make great money…that is a fact!
My “Perfect Man” and I are saving up
for a bigger house for our growing brood
There is that luxury dream car, we admired from afar
and our business plans to open up a bar
It's all falling into place
Life is so sweet, isn’t it?
Hmmmm ... hope I dream “that” dream tonight
So I can reconnect with my dear friends
The people and places I never knew
The Little Strangers I have come to adore
The magic that rocked me to the core
I really need to tell them why I left
I really need to tell them about my life
Why I abruptly had to go
to “Awake” in my own world
…They may not be able to join me here
…They may never understand
But I will do my very best to visit them
...Dream by Dream...
In that lovely, faraway land
