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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
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