In a vast, deserted park

A boy and girl sat in the dark

 

Surrounded by the old playground,

The boy and girl heard scarce a sound

 

I was that girl, so this I can s say;

We were not there to run or to play

 

This place that by day brings joy and delight

Now offered us comfort well past midnight

 

“But children so young”, I've oft heard it said,

“Should be in their home, tucked safely in bed."

 

Yes, it was night, and quite dark outside

But it was his darkness we couldn't abide

 

So, my brother and I didn’t put up a fight

When he roared "Get the hell out!" that warm summer night

 

We were but children, of nine or ten,

But we knew the evil and darkness of men.

 

We knew only the safety of Mom the park

So, we waited for Mom outside in the dark

 

We knew the swings and we knew the school

We knew his wrath was ruthless and cruel

We knew the rubber beneath our bare feet

We knew our house, just there, cross the street

We knew the grass and the chain-link fence

We knew our fear was real and intense

We knew the four-square, painted on the ground

We knew our laughter was his least favorite sound

We knew the hopscotch and all the balance beams

We knew the sound of each other’s painful screams

 

So, you see the night’s darkness has been a sweet friend,

With the moon and the stars that go on without end

 

It gave us a place from our house to depart

While we awaited the love of our mother’s dear heart

 

The only darkness we feared, I'll attest,

Was that which lived deep in the monster's cold chest

 

-Amanda Black