Tombstone Tales 003: A Little Night Music

Tomb of Mozart, Main Cemetery Vienna, Austria 

by S. Ruehlow, on Flickr

The clock ticks away the hour

of midnight and in a web

of white light a piano

is playing a little

night music:

"Allegro!"

But where is the pianist?

Look at the keys, they go up

and down as the Rondo dances

through the deserted street

with this Lord and his Lady

dressed only

in her jewellery.

And the clock ticks away

the hour of midnight

when they jump

in the canal

as they always did

and always do

and forever

will.

Tombstone Tales 002: Bruges-la-Morte

The poem was inspired by the short poetic novel Bruges-la Morte, by Georges Rodenbach. Listen while you read to this Very Slow and Spooky French Cancan...

Grave of George Rodenbach, Père-Lachaise (photo by Gus Hertzog)

Only the dead are dancing

through the living

rooms


when evening is falling

and grey people are put to rest

in peace


in houses
 

and shallow shadows
 

of past centuries
 

wondering stoned
 

as a statue.









 

Listen well

and hear a voice

whispering behind a hatch

about a past

tense not fully

completed

Tombstone Tales 001: Paranormal Activity in a House Without History

Listen while you read to this Minimal Music Maximal Horror Soundscape...

You will hear my heavy steps

like boots, slow and determined

on the second floor and

you will not see me.

You will see

my tall shape in the bedroom

of your children: featureless

face in the dark

Dracula cape screaming and

you will not hear me.

Stay awake at night

after the lights go out

for no more than ten minutes

and you will hear me

moving, picking up things and softly

putting them down.

Take a shower,

I’ll scratch your back

and leave tiny scars

like claws and you

will not see me.

You will hear me

whisper in your ear:

“Melanie…”

You will hear me sigh:

“Hi!”

This Tombstone Tale was inspired by the article "Help! Our House Is Haunted"