The Topiaries

They stood within the park,

Great hedges trimmed with care;

Each devoted to an art,

Still figures frozen there.

A fox beside where an eagle dove,

A buffalo, a deer,

A mountain lion crouching low,

A bear that knew no fear.

I turned my back a moment you see

To take a selfie there,

When through the leaves behind me

Came whispers in the air.

I spun around to see them—

The lion and the bear

Crouching on a Woody limb,

Both fixed in a leafy stare.

I laughed and turned to take one more pic

Then heard the rustling again.

When next I looked, it made me sick

For they were closer than they’d been.

I hurried toward the parking lot,

My pulse a pounding drum;

A branch reached out and slashed my cheek—

I knew they’d finally come.

I stumbled hard and hit the ground,

The gravel bit my hands;

Behind him came a scraping sound

Like roots pulled through the sands.

I feared to turn—yet when I did decide

The shapes were drawing near;

My horror I could not hide

As branches brushed my ear.

The lion’s jaws were full of thorns,

The bear was thick with vines;

With in each of the stilled forms

New eyes began to shine.

Getting up I ran away

From what I never knew

I longed for the light of day

So I could see what to do

I pushed the button on the key fob

It chirped as the car unlocked

I was thinking oh my God

I’m bound to be caught

I heard leaves behind me

Branches bashed my head

I figured that soon I would be

Counted among the dead

A mighty wack and I went down

It was all over I was thinking

Then from behind was not a sound

But the rasp of my own breathing

I looked back and saw not a thing

I was all alone

I was left with a throbbing pain

Deep with in my bones

I stay out of the park

I admit that I’m afraid

My fear is quite stark

Of horror on parade