Comment from bichonfrisegirl

Exceptional

Terrific Halloween poem, Craig! Your poem had me shaking in my boots. Delightfully scary write! Congrats on this most deserved win!! I especially love your concluding line.

I love this unique character you've created .... 'the Mulahad'. All folk (children and adults alike), are equal pickin's for this evil monster. I'm sitting at my computer right now. Thank God he only creeps out on Halloween! :)

Cheers,
Connie

 Comment Written 05-Nov-2019

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reply by the author on 05-Nov-2019

Oh Connie, I'm afraid it's only the children he saves for Halloween, because then he gets to guzzle their treats as well. Adults are fair game any time of year and any night, Connie. Connie? CONNIE!!!!

Many thanks for the delightful review and lovely stars. Cheers, Craig

Comment from Contests

A contest winning entry! A seven star rating from the Contest Committee for posting the winning contest entry.

 Comment Written 05-Nov-2019

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reply by the author on 05-Nov-2019

Woohooo! I'm honoured and grateful. Thank you :) Cheers, Craig

Comment from Joan E.

Excellent

I admired your rhythmic, rhymed quatrains as you described the evil Mulahad. Your dramatic conclusion was very effective and a neat Halloween surprise. Best wishes in the contest- Joan

 Comment Written 31-Oct-2019

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reply by the author on 31-Oct-2019

Thanks very much for the extremely kind words and good wishes, Joan. Much appreciated, Craig

Comment from Debbie Pope

Excellent

Now that's one creepy beast. I like that he eats the children then has their treats for dessert. Well, I don't exactly like it, but I think that it's a cool line. It's sort of comic relief for all that cannibalism. Did you make up the name Mulahad? That's an evil sounding name.
Nice Halloween scary story, Craig. One for the campfires.

 Comment Written 30-Oct-2019

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reply by the author on 30-Oct-2019

I came up with the critter first, but needed a name. The name I got from the Arabic for "apostate" or "reprobate". A couple of people have since mentioned that apparently Google returns a creature similar to a bunyip when you search on that word. So, although I invented the name for my creature, it seems I was beaten to it. Not that it matters :) Thanks very much, Debbie. Cheers, Craig

reply by Debbie Pope on 31-Oct-2019

It does matter. It is so hard to be original today. Just when you think you've been totally creative, something surfaces to let you know you're not the first. Now I have to look up a bunyip. Now that's a funny name.

reply by the author on 31-Oct-2019

For me, the originality is in the story, not the name. I could have written "The vampire is an evil beast", and the poem would still be original. It was mildly surprising to hear the word had already been used to describe a monster (I still haven't found that reference though).

Comment from royowen

Excellent

A ballady ode to a creature very similar in mode to the bunyip, although my education into the legends of the demonic is pretty limited in dimension. This is superbly written in great language and intricately honed meter of 8686 (near) and abcb rhyming, well done, blessings, Roy

 Comment Written 30-Oct-2019

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reply by the author on 30-Oct-2019

Thanks so much for the great comments, Roy. It's a creature of my own invention, although its name is based on an Arabic word. So I wouldn't feel bad about not being familiar with it. Cheers, Craig

reply by royowen on 30-Oct-2019

That what googled Craig,

reply by the author on 30-Oct-2019

Oh, sorry Roy. I thought you were saying it sounded like a bunyip from my description. I guess that's what came up when you searched with Google. I misunderstood. I also didn't know there was a site that listed it as a creature. The translation from Arabic is "apostate" or "infidel", which is how I got the name.

reply by royowen on 30-Oct-2019

Thanks Craig, a creation though, Americans wouldn?t know bunyip

reply by the author on 30-Oct-2019

True, though I have educated a few of them about drop bears! :)

reply by royowen on 30-Oct-2019

Heh heh, it?s good for them Craig

reply by royowen on 30-Oct-2019

We both play the uke, I play guitar too. Well done

reply by the author on 30-Oct-2019

Nice. I've been playing guitar for nearly 50 years, but ukulele only about 4. It's a lot of fun.

reply by royowen on 30-Oct-2019

Me too, it?s very popular here, lots of groups around, yours is similar to mine,

Comment from rjuselius

Exceptional

this is a perfect entry for this particular writing prompt dear CD! it is vile, morbid and eerie all around. nice one my friend!
thank you for sharing!
good luck!
blessings and a super squeeze!
rebekka xxx

 Comment Written 30-Oct-2019

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reply by the author on 30-Oct-2019

Haha, ok, it's not often I'll smile at my work being called vile (hey, that rhymes!), but this is one such occasion. Thanks so much for the great comments, good wishes and the lovely shiny stars, Rebekka :) Cheers, Craig

Comment from Mastery

Excellent

Excellent contest entry here, CD. I wish you the best of luck with this. Scary to be sure as well as clever and original-sounding from start to finish:

"All Hallows' Eve is when it dines
on children that it meets."

Bravo! Bob

 Comment Written 30-Oct-2019

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reply by the author on 30-Oct-2019

Thanks so much for the kind words, Bob. Happy Halloween to you. Cheers, Craig

reply by Mastery on 31-Oct-2019

Same to you Craig. :) Bob

reply by Mastery on 31-Oct-2019

Same to you Craig. :) Bob

Comment from Janet Foor

Exceptional

I love Halloween and your poem today set the tone for tomorrow.
This was a fun read, perfect rhyme and meter with
a dash of creepy thrown in for good measure.

Well done and Happy Halloween
Janet

 Comment Written 30-Oct-2019

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reply by the author on 30-Oct-2019

Thanks so much, Janet. Halloween is my favourite holiday . I am most grateful for the lovely shiny stars and the very kind comments. Happy Halloween back at you! :) Craig

Comment from rosehill (Wendy)

Excellent

Deftly done, Craig. Perfect rhythm, pure rhymes, creepy descriptions with an icky protagonist and a fun, but shivery ending. You have come up with a great entry for the contest. - Wendy

 Comment Written 30-Oct-2019

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reply by the author on 30-Oct-2019

Thanks so much for the lovely comments, Wendy. Happy Halloween to you. Cheers, Craig

Comment from Rosemary Everson1

Excellent

definitely a poem to spook the Halloween trick or treaters. I'll turn around so I see the good side not the dark side after Halloween is over. It is then time to reflect to Thanksgiving and the birth of our Jesus.

 Comment Written 30-Oct-2019

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reply by the author on 30-Oct-2019

Spooking was the brief, so I'm glad it seems to have met the mark. Thanks for reviewing, Rosemary. Cheers, Craig