Crowded House


This house is more than just a home to spiders, beetles and flies
It’s also filled with occupants who wail and shriek and cry…

The White Lady drifts from room to room
Looking for her twin
Her sister, who so long ago,

Locked the cellar and kept her in…

The Knight rides upon his horse
Through the rooms on the upper floor

Fighting an on-going battle
That will go on for ever more…

The Count who lived here long ago
And didn’t want to sell
Stayed beyond the night that he died
After being pushed down the well…

The Friendly Girl who was so in love
With the boy from down the lane
Whose love outlived the two of them
And wants togetherness again…

The Lord who ruled his piece of land
With more than an iron fist

Whose bad breath, it’s said, manifests
As a green and pungent mist…

The Jester, the Joker, the Evil Clown
Who is seen in every room

Tries to make any visitor laugh
But makes them leave too soon…

This house is more than just a home
Each room contains a tale
Every bang’s a sign that someone’s there
And not just a reason to turn folk pale…

Yet another repost, and yet another haunted house.
Well, it’s almost Halloween…

27 responses to “Crowded House”

  1. Let's CUT the Crap! avatar

    You’ve managed quite a marathon of spooky posts, Tom. Well done once again.

    Like

    1. Tom Merriman avatar

      And thank you once again, Tess.
      Only a week to go now, and although my creativity is a little thin on the ground Halloween-wise at the moment, I shall continue.

      Like

      1. Let's CUT the Crap! avatar

        You can do it, Tom. Someone has to carry the Halloween torch. Less than a week to go. Have some pumpkin or Halloween candy for strength.

        Like

  2. Visionkeeper avatar

    The tension is rising as we grow nearer and nearer to Halloween….The anticipation is wildly fluctuating as we imagine what TL will encounter in the dungeon and will he come back out in one piece? Thanks for yet another great piece of art TL…We will be behind you all the way. VK

    Like

    1. Tom Merriman avatar

      Thank you, VK.
      I’m hoping there is something to be found when I go exploring…

      Like

  3. shreejacob avatar

    I don’t think I’ve read this! Sometimes repostings are awesome! LOL.
    We’re rooting for you Tom! See you at the finish line 😀

    You know reading about this crowded house makes me think of the movie The Others with Nicole Kidman. In the movie, one of the things we learn is that “ghosts” just live on different planes. They don’t realize they are ghosts….so, maybe all those people don’t actually meet each other…and…the young girl would probably think her house is haunted by the knight and the Lord and so on?
    Hmm…ghosts thinking they are being haunted by other ghosts….now that’s something eh?

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    1. Tom Merriman avatar

      Nearly there now, Shree! Not long to go.
      I’ve read about the different planes, and levels of awareness, Shree. So it is possible that some ghosts may see other ghosts as ghosts – they aren’t all together in one room; although they are in a different sense. I love these different levels… they fascinate me.

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      1. shreejacob avatar

        Mhmm…there is a school of thought which says that these levels are within us…each taking us deeper and deeper until we remember our true Self, Edgar Cayce’s reading on this is interpreted as like being in a building and each plane is a different floor. Some of us can take the lift up to different floors (up or down) bypassing certain floor. Science (I think it falls under some form of Physics..can’t remember the name) has calculated that there are about 11 dimensions…

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        1. Tom Merriman avatar

          I’m aware of these levels within us as well, Shree, but can’t for the life of me think what they’re called now… I know they incorporate the realm of the Angels being higher up in the levels, and we’re lower down, and there are other levels both above and below us. You’d think with all that the name would be there somewhere, wouldn’t you? But it isn’t. I shall explore later…

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          1. shreejacob avatar

            LOL!!! Take your time, but don’t get lost!

            Like

    1. Tom Merriman avatar

      Thanks for this, Andra, although the link wouldn’t play due to copyright issues here in the UK (that’s what the message said, anyway!).
      I have listened to the track in You Tube though!

      Like

  4. prenin avatar

    Good poem dude! 🙂

    While I was walking up the stair I met a man who was not there.
    He wasn’t there again today.
    Oh how I wish he’d go away…

    A childhood memory! 🙂

    God Bless!

    Prenin.

    Like

    1. Tom Merriman avatar

      I remember that rhyme form somewhere as well, Prenin… don’t know where, however!
      Thanks, Prenin.

      Like

  5. Gray Dawster avatar
    Gray Dawster

    Horror-fest writing can be fun Tom,
    it can also be excruciatingly difficult
    too but at least you have conquered
    and offered a nice variety along the
    way 🙂 Trick or Treat, I think the later
    for your excellent creepy efforts.

    Have a really good weekend Tom 🙂

    Andro

    Like

    1. Gray Dawster avatar
      Gray Dawster

      The latter too 😦 lol

      Andro

      Like

    2. Tom Merriman avatar

      I always try to do something different in my next post, Andro. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t, but I enjoy doing them!
      Yes, enjoy your weekend also!

      Like

  6. Saturn With Earrings avatar
    Saturn With Earrings

    Hi Tom, I’m new here on wordpress and I found your blog through Kaela’s. I loved reading this poem 🙂 We don’t really celebrate Halloween in India, but I adore the legends and this poem was such fun to read. I’ll definitely be reading more of your work 🙂

    Like

    1. Tom Merriman avatar

      Hello Rishika, and welcome!
      Glad you like this one. I’m having a month-long Halloween Fest at the moment; I don’t always write about Halloween – usually I write any old nonsense, which will begin again in November! It’s all fun though!

      Like

      1. Saturn With Earrings avatar
        Saturn With Earrings

        Definitely fun 🙂 I enjoyed reading! Hope you’ll check out my blog sometime too.

        Like

        1. Tom Merriman avatar

          That goes without saying, Rishika. Actually, I popped by earlier to find your name!

          Like

          1. Saturn With Earrings avatar
            Saturn With Earrings

            Thanks Tom! 🙂

            Like

  7. lameadventures avatar

    That was great, Tom — very inspired verse!

    Like

    1. Tom Merriman avatar

      Thanks for saying so, LA.

      Like

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