The Shadow Of The Night

I must have been reading for too much Peter Pan, because I'm not sure where this one came from: a dream or a nightmare...

The Shadow Of The Night

In the shadow of a greater power,

As diurnal parents sleep,

Nocturnal siblings leave their cots,

And pagan rituals keep.

With powder-painted faces,

And feathers in their hair,

They dance in silent circles,

And ritual magic share.

While their hands hold high its stuffing,

A teddy lies prone on the floor,

Sacrificed to end, the adult reign,

And let children rule once more.

Then upon a fire of torches,

Their toy creatures they set light,

While their parents sleep unknowing in,

The gentle comfort of the night.