Ritual

by Cliff Lake

The rhyme is uttered out of turn,
The cadence cold and spoken stern.
A rite fraught with an ill intent,
A ritual meant to torment.
An obsession never earned,
Wishes whispered in nocturn.
Mere fancy when night holds sway,
Delusion in the light of day.
Curses spoke in dark of moon,
Repeated now in eldritch tune.
Misfortune cast meant to destroy,
Symbols in arcane employ.
Hieroglyph and ancient rune,
Books and scrolls and walls festoon.
Pages have been read and turned,
Herbs that have been crushed and burned.
Figures carved and subtly named,
Creatures caught and foully framed.
Uncanny motions, secret dance,
Bizarre potions, fevered trance,
Seize the night, oppose mischance,
Nothing left to circumstance!
Light is dawning, rite complete,
He has no plans the sun to greet.
Night has waned, and day begin,
This time has passed fortune to spin.
Time to rest, gain strength and then…

Tomorrow he will try again.

Cliff Lake 2/19/2026
Copyright © Clifford Lake 2026