Words for Wednesday: A Halloween Poem

'Words for Wednesday' is a writing prompt held by Delores at Under the Porch Light.
Use some or all of the week's words, write a poem or a story or a fragment, and visit Delores' current week's prompt to let her know you've joined in.

This week I used Delores' second prompt:

She couldn't think.  Her mind was full of pumpkin mush.

Here is my story:


Halloween came darkly, and the moon was very big 
Anna donned her costume, and tucked her hair into her wig.

The cries of children - 'Trick or Treat!' - floated through the night
Excited voices, running steps, squeals of sweet delight.

Anna stood inside her door, wishing she was there
But Anna had no little friends; those children didn't care.

Her mother let her dress up, and stand beside the door
To hand out treats to other kids, while wanting so much more.

To walk the streets with just one friend - that's all she wanted: one!
To share some secrets, laugh at jokes, and have some childhood fun.

The kids at school were not her friends; they barely spoke her name
And when they did they frowned or laughed - and Anna burned with shame.

They all thought she was quiet and odd, and so she was, she guessed
She spent most of her time alone, apart from all the rest.

Anna peeped outside the window set beside the door
The moon gleamed large and silvery... then seemed to glow some more.

Anna frowned and closed her eyes, then opened them again
The moon was even brighter, and it pulsed a little then.

There came a whoosh, like a sigh, that rippled on the breeze - 
'A wishhh' it whispered gently, as it rustled through the trees.

Anna squeezed her eyes shut tight; a tear fell down her cheek
'A friend,' she whispered softly, her wish fervent, her voice meek.

The moon glowed even brighter. Then it shrank to normal size
Anna blinked away her tears, and slowly wiped her eyes.

The doorbell rang. 

She opened up; it was some kids from school.
'Trick or treat!' they yelled with glee, and took candy from her bowl.

She closed the door. But when she did, the doorbell rang again
And this time when she opened up, there was just one child there.

The boy seemed roughly Anna's age, but they had never met
He smiled and held out his hand. He hadn't spoken yet.

He seemed a different kind of boy; he had a solemn gaze
And somehow he was bathed all in a gentle, milky haze.

'You need a friend,' he said to her. 'And these days, I do too.
I'm far from my old home and friends. They can't see me like you do.'

He took her hand and squeezed it. 'You are kind,' he said
'I think that that is all I need, to call you my good friend.'

Although it should have made her blush, she found she couldn't think
Her mind was full of pumpkin mush; all she could do was blink.

Anna's mother called to her. 'Close the door!' she barked
'What are you doing standing there, staring at the dark!'

Anna didn't feel afraid. The boy was by her side.
She closed the door and smiled, as she led him safe inside.