Monsters in the Night
A Monster Under the Bed
And now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
But if I should wake in the night
Be it not from getting a fright
*
As the monsters creep up on me
And open my eyes forcefully
To the anxiety and fear
That I hold to my heart so dear
*
All the work that piles in the day
And my desire to stay away
From people and expectations
And from my own speculations
*
Of how I am constantly judged
All of my worries that have nudged
Me even closer to the edge
Until they can put a firm wedge
*
Between me and my ambitions
Darkening my aspirations
Leaving me the monster inside
Showing itself on the outside
A shadow underneath my bed—
Could it all just be in my head?
*
I now lay me down to sleep
And pray my sanity to keep
If I should wake up from a fright
Keep my monster away tonight.
***
Author’s Note: This was written for RM Stockton’s The Monster Under Your Bed prompt/challenge. For more information and to join in, follow the link below:
About the Creator
Stephanie Hoogstad
With a BA in English and MSc in Creative Writing, writing is my life. I have edited and ghost written for years with some published stories and poems of my own.
Learn more about me: thewritersscrapbin.com
Support my writing: Patreon
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Comments (12)
Interesting
Excellent stuff, last two lines are my favourite. Way to stick the landing!
This was really great in poem form. I just saw this challenge, great entry.
That was fabulous. Well done, Stephanie.
Oh I love how you remixed that prayer! This was fantastic!
Oh I really love how this is structured, fantastic entry!
Monsters Inc. for grownups. Nice blend of childhood prayers & adult angst. Well done, Stephanie.
Wonderfully written, the prayer aspect is so clever. You captured the emotions of doubt and the longing for peace so beautifully 🤍
Good one!!!
Oh my! That was so creative to make this a bedtime prayer! You clever girl, Stephanie! There are some incredible lines in your poem. That monster of self-doubt is a scary and powerful monster that haunts many of us. Very relatable!
That monster seems pretty unavoidable.
Loveeeeee! This was so heartfelt. Great entry!!