Comment from ciliverde

Excellent

Is this a poetic form you have invented, Craig? You say it's not entirely autobiographical, but I certainly had fear of creatures under the bed and terrible nightmares. What are your monsters in the sky, predator drones? Anyway, you have done a wonderful job with this poem, as usual.
Carol

 Comment Written 03-May-2018

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reply by the author on 03-May-2018

Oh, I had terrible nightmares as a child, too, Carol. Not since, though. Predator drones, missiles, etc seem to be very popular choices among reviewers for the "monsters in the sky", and I'm quite happy to go with that interpretation, although it wasn't my original intention. The picture is meant to be a clue. There is someone I have the most fun discussions with, who is quite religious, and always going on about eschatological mumbo-jumbo - the destruction of the world by armies of angels, God's victory over Luciferan forces that are controlling the world... yada yada. The monsters I had in mind are supernatural entities who have the power to do us harm. But either works for me.

As for the form, I don't know if anyone else has used it before me, I guess I'd be surprised if they hadn't. It's kind of an accidental extension of a form I like a lot, which was used by Banjo Paterson in his "A Bush Christening":

On the Outer Barcoo, where churches are few
and men of religion are scanty,
On a road never crossed, 'cept by folk that are lost,
one Michael Magee had a shanty.

That's also the form of another very famous poem:

Jack and Jill went up the hill
to fetch a pail of water
Jack fell down and broke his crown
and Jill came tumbling after

So each stanza is a line of 4 syllables, with an internal rhyme after 2, and a line of 3 syllables.

Mine is a similar thing, except I've made the lines 4 syllables each for the internal rhyme, and 5 syllables for the following line; in this example, I just split the rhyming line over two as it fits better of the page without wrapping.

As I said, I don't know if someone has done it before, so I wouldn't want to lay claim to it.

(Sorry for the long-winded explanation)


Many thanks for a great review.

Craig

reply by ciliverde on 03-May-2018

I didn't really think you meant drones, but I honestly wasn't sure what you meant. Thanks for explaining, it makes perfect sense. I was a bit perplexed by the strange bald angel that you had as your graphic. I suppose if you'd had a more traditional looking one I might have gotten the clue? Hard to say. That eschatological stuff is indeed a good subject for adult nightmares!!

Comment from Gloria ....

Excellent

Love these lines in my closet there were hid monsters that would eat a kid. LOL. That's a natural fear I would imagine.

Another fine poem and addition of a new word, which won't stick in the long-term memory bank easily.

enjoyed.

Gloria

 Comment Written 02-May-2018

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reply by the author on 02-May-2018

Thanks for the kind words, Gloria. Much appreciated - Craig

Comment from Joy Graham

Excellent

Cryptobiont. That would make an excellent title for a horror movie. I'd be too scared to watch it. That's a crazy thing for me to say lol! It could be taken as a compliment that the movie is indeed frightening. Yet, if folks were too scared to watch it, who would be buying tickets to watch it? Hmmmm.

You did a fine job of this poem and word of the day. When I was a kid I was afraid of the vampires that lived in my attic. The attic door was in my closet. I'm sure there were a few cryptobionts up there too.

Joy xx

 Comment Written 02-May-2018

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reply by the author on 02-May-2018

Vampires never bothered me. It was the bogey man outside the window and the talking head on a wire in the hallway that gave me the heebie-jeebies. Many thanks, Joy :) Craig

Comment from nancy_e_davis

Excellent

I guess I was lucky. I have never had nightmares. No monsters too grab me when I sleep. My sister loved to scare me and I had a good imagination but when I went to sleep I had good dreams. LOL This was well written. I saw no spags. Cryptobiont, sounds like me,like my life. LOL Good word. Nancy

 Comment Written 02-May-2018

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reply by the author on 02-May-2018

No nightmares at all? I think you must be one of the lucky few, Nancy. Thanks for the kind review. Craig

reply by nancy_e_davis on 03-May-2018

Only one I can remember. It was a recurring
dream of me trying to save a drowning baby but I was swimming in air not water. Go figure.

Comment from Mustang Patty

Excellent

Hi, Craig;
Thank you for giving me another name for the creatures that inhabit my nightmares. It is so sad to be almost sixty years old and still having bad dreams that leave me shaking. Anyway, I digress, I like this poem and all that it entails -- the monsters in the sky are bombs - right?

~patty~

 Comment Written 02-May-2018

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reply by the author on 02-May-2018

That's one perfectly valid interpretation, Patty - and it's been a popular one. Sorry to hear about the bad dreams. I had awful ones as a kid, but am thankful they seemed to leave me with childhood. Cheers, Craig

Comment from LIJ Red

Excellent

Read the specs on a C130 Spectre (Grandchild of Puff The Magic Dragon of Nam) and the sky is scary indeed. Or watch Deep Impact. Excellent post, but I do not foresee using cryptobiont very often. Do flying squirrels in my attic count?

 Comment Written 02-May-2018

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reply by the author on 02-May-2018

Is that a synonym for bats in the belfry? They can be scary. Many thanks, Craig

Comment from Teri7

Excellent

This is a very interesting and well written poem about monsters of early in life up until now. You used very good descriptive words and very interesting imagery. I enjoyed reading and reviewing it! Blessings, Teri

 Comment Written 02-May-2018

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reply by the author on 02-May-2018

Thanks very much for the kind words, Teri. I really appreciate your continued support :) Craig

Comment from Phyllis Stewart

Excellent

Good one, Craig. I fear monsters in the sky sometimes too, especially those flying stealth aircraft sneaking in to bomb us. It's not as bad as it was in the fifties, though, when schools had us practice stop, drop and roll, as if hiding under your desk could prevent deadly radiation from reaching you. Yep, those were NOT the good old days. :)

 Comment Written 02-May-2018

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reply by the author on 02-May-2018

It's a bit like putting your head in your lap when the airplane is going to crash - oh yeah, that will help! Thanks, Phyllis :) Craig

Comment from Sandra du Plessis

Excellent

A very well-written poem about fearing the monsters that live under the bed or in the closet, that is only in our imagination but we make it real to punish ourselves by living in fear.

 Comment Written 02-May-2018

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reply by the author on 02-May-2018

Thanks for the kind review, Sandra. Your continued support is much appreciated - Craig

Comment from meeshu

Excellent

very scary, CD well written in a very child-like style. a perfect fit. it reminds me of a really great Kim Carnes song. and I can't remember its name. so nevermind, sorry..........meeshu............terror in the night?.....I don't know.

 Comment Written 02-May-2018

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reply by the author on 02-May-2018

Thanks for the lovely review, meeshu. I think I had a Kim Carnes album once - Cafe Racers, or something like that. But I don't recall the song of which you speak. Cheers, Craig