A Flicker to Calm the Frightened

A lullaby, a whispered prayer,

Dear kisses on the brow,

Sweet dreams wished, the light blown out,

The sandman comes; he comes right now.

____

Mother tiptoes from the room,

A dark and stormy night,

Claps of thunder shake the room,

The toddler wakes in fright.

____

Shadows dancing, eerily prancing,

Imagination wild,

Monsters groaning, a whimpered moaning,

Time to soothe a wide-eyed child.

____

“A candle please, oh mother dear,

The darkness scares me so,

Fang-ed creatures, furry beasts,

Flying to and fro.”

____

“There are no creatures,” mother said,

“Creeping, crawling, free.

‘Tis shadows playing in the room,

No beasts to fear, you see.”

____

“But mother dear, a noise I heard,

At window pane ‘tis true.”

“My child fear not, the wind it howls,

A limb has frightened you.”

____

Lightning flashed across the sky,

The child, he shook in fear.

She struck a match and lit the wick,

"I hope this helps, my dear."

____

The candle dimly lit the room,

No monsters on the floor,

The maple’s limb on windowpane,

The scraping scares no more.

____

“My child remember in your heart,

For what I say ‘tis true,

God never slumbers; nor doth sleep,

He watches over you.”

____

“Now close your eyes and say a prayer,

His peace your heart can fill.

The noise and shadows of this night,

Replaced with peace be still.”