Susan Thomsen posted a prompt from David Lehman to use the last line of Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself as a first line to a new poem. I have my grandchildren spending the night, and we read a silly scary story called The Dark Night. I went back to a New Year’s prompt from Pádraig Ó Tuama for a pantoum about the night.
The Dark Night
I stop somewhere waiting for you.
Footsteps clonking on wooden stairs—
Womblike whoosh of your sound machine,
Your shadow shape shifts in the low light.
Footsteps tender on wooden stairs.
Owl “who-cooks-for-you” wakes;
its shadow shape shifts in this low light.
Time stands still.
Owl hoots who-cooks-for-you
as I breathe your scent before you’re here.
Time stands still.
Will my love be good enough?
I breathe your sleeping scent.
Womblike whooshes from your sound machine.
Will my loving arms be enough?
I stop somewhere waiting for you.
Reflections on the Teche 
Margaret, so many thoughts here capture my imagination and give me pause. “time stands still” as such a short line is very effective. I love the hoot the owl makes and this: “Footsteps tender on wooden stairs.” Beautiful!
Margaret, I can *feel* this poem from what you’ve written, from the owl to the whoosh of the sound machine. It has that middle-of-the-night vibe, for sure! Walt & I are impressed with that pantoum form, too. (Yes, I’m speaking for WW. Ha!)
My first thought is that you’ve shown so clearly that “Love conquers all!” when scary sounds and thoughts are there! From the beginning footsteps to “Will my loving arms be enough?”, reveals the thoughts as you wait. It’s a short story!
“womblike whoosh” is super cool! Oh, if we really could make time stand still. I would love to visit my little ones again.
Margaret, Love this pantoum and story very much, especially the sensory images and the “Owl “who-cooks-for-you” wakes..”
So much beauty in this poem. “Womblike whoosh” and the different sounds of the footsteps. I love all the sounds you’ve evoked.
I love the images your poem creates Margaret – they are both new and relatable for anyone who experiences a dark night. I also like how your lines repeat and come full circle – almost dream like. Great job! Thanks for sharing.
Lovely pantoum, Margaret. I especially like the way you made small changes in the lines yet kept the meaning.
So evocative, Margaret! You plunge us into the sounds, shapes, and shadows of the night.
Beautiful poem Margaret—full of sounds that bring your words and the experience of night to life.
Margaret, those Grands are always so fortunate to dwell in your creative imaginative ways. I’ll bet they loved that silly spooky read! The Dark Night should be in a Halloween poetry anthology:
“Womblike whooshes from your sound machine.”
“Footsteps tender on wooden stairs.”
It’s a soothing love poem, too! Brava, WonderFull writer.
your fan, JAN
Margaret, I know the sound of the wombless whoosh that penetrates the children’s room. You have beautiful added that into your pantoum. The addition of “time stands still” shares the love of being a part of the grandmother league. Of course, your loving arms enough!
Wow. You really captured the spooky vibe! Kudos on the pantoum!