Blood Sample

Warning: Gory Poetry Alert

Recommended for 12 and up only Look at the writing exercise from last week’s Poetry Friday. http://authoramok.blogspot.com/2008/09/poetry-friday-writing-exercise_12.html

I was writing about a performance of the epic poem Beowulf at the 2004 Dodge Poetry Festival. If you can’t wait for Halloween, here is a gory Blood Sample poem: “Haunting Hands.” It’s by my friend, Maryland poet/writer/sculptor/actor and overall Renaissance Man, John Hayes. You might find the photo of his sculpture (below) surprising after reading this horror fantasy poem.

YA writers, take note. The horror/romance genre is hot right now, with the upcoming release of the movie version of Twilight, the vampire series by Stephanie Meyer (http://www.stephaniemeyer.com/). I hope John's poem inspires you to write your own "blood" poem. Haunting Hands By John Hayes Her severed hands drip blood wake me from my sleep as they creep across my face I grasp the fingers hurl them from my bed follow, as they race into the dusky night. Flickering gaslights cast shadows on the gory trail they set a corner turned at Amity Street four houses more upon her porch they are restored to Sigourney. Wildly creaking in the gloom her body sways in merciless delight. I clutch my breast and plead, "I swear my love, I did not mean to hack you so that night spare me now this pain." She grins. Her cackle quakes inside my brain her bloody hands possess me smear my ashen face. I shrill into the endless night. I love how Sigourney Weaver and the Amityville Horror house slip into this poem.

John is a true Renaissance man. I forgot to put playwright on the list of his creative efforts. This is one of his sculptures.

Check out more art and poetry at John's website. http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7w3iq/johnhayessculpture/ Want to try the bloody writing exercise? Here it is again: http://authoramok.blogspot.com/2008/09/poetry-friday-writing-exercise_12.html