Well Toads, I am beyond thrilled to be the one to share a prompt with you today! I love Halloween. I love dressing up, I love the mystery, the fun and candy. Today, I was going to enchant you with a spellbound type poem, but then I thought about ghosts. Do you believe in ghosts? I have had two occasions where I have felt an odd, almost a chill in the air. Have you had an encounter?
My father had died suddenly, my first year in college. I commuted daily and worked in the evenings at a local movie theater. One night, not long after his death I was driving home, when I was nearing the darkest part of my ride. Moosepoint State Park is so dark and yes, moose have been known to cross the road there. I could feel the presence of someone sitting in the passenger seat-I was alone. It felt as if I was being stared at. It was such an odd feeling, I turned the light on. When I did my headlights went out...I'm at the darkest part of my trip, with no headlights. It is 10:40pm. I'm freaking, I'm scared...the lights come back on. I can feel a presence, as if someone was sitting next to me in the passenger seat-I was alone. I rode home with the light on. I finally relaxed a bit and said, "Thanks Dad, I love you" and kept driving. When I got home, my Mom was up and I told her, what had happened. We agreed the next day, after school to get my car to the garage. I did, I was told nothing was wrong. They couldn't find anything wrong with my lights, or switches or any loose wiring. It never happened again. I do believe it was my Dad saying good-bye. I still can feel this experience, as if it happened a month ago. It was that vivid!
The other ghost encounter was a couple of years ago. My daughter and I had heard there were a few homes, in our area considered haunted. One is about a mile and half from my house. She went with me. We drove the car and parked across the street, at a local church. We walked near the home and snapped some photos. When I uploaded the photos, I thought the door looked odd. So, I enlarged it...Do you see her? Do you see the ghost?
Here is the house:
L@@K again...
I have asked many people, what do you see? Some say trees and some see a ghost. What do you see? Click on it and look~
When Kerry mentioned the Sunday Mini Challenge, before Halloween...she also mentioned wanting to do a ghost type prompt. I told her this is what i was thinking, too. She was gracious enough to let me have it, even though I told her to go ahead. I could do a spellbinding type prompt, instead. So Toads today in the garden you have a choice. YOU can write a poem that is spellbinding, think Harry Potter, witches and their spell books, etc or you can write a ghostly tale. It wouldn't be Halloween with out a TRICK! You must use a line from a ghost poem in your poem. Here is a list you can select from: Click
HERE
I look forward to your spooktacular poems! Damn, I tried a spellbound poem and it is working...
I'm turning into a Toad! Beware I think it is the eye of newt...
Hope you and yours have a bewitching holiday full of magic, a bit of enchantment and lots of candy!
My entry is more historical than scary but I think you'll feel slightly queasy if you put yourself in the witch's shoes.
ReplyDeleteI do see a ghost! And I can totally relate to the saying goodbye experience. Happy Halloween!
ReplyDeleteI do love the picture of your ghost! I really enjoyed your good-bye ghost story. They really do love to mess with electronics.
ReplyDeleteSpooky ......... great prompt too!
ReplyDeleteYes, I see an Edwardian lady in the door.
ReplyDeleteMy story refers loosely to something that happened a long time ago when I was sailing.
Spooky, spooky.. I think I have an interesting, if not horrifying, bit of Savannah, GA history...
ReplyDeleteholy hallows, i wrote a sonnet! hell may have frozen over this Halloween. have fun, everyone!
ReplyDeleteGreat pics Ella ...I see a ghost too. Happy Halloween.
ReplyDeleteBren-I am so happy you see her! I swear I did nothing to the photo...
ReplyDeleteThank you! Can't wait to read your offering~
Marian-oooh, a sonnet, sounds wicked great! :D Yes, I think it might have... You have fun, too!
Margaret-Ooh, can't wait...I have heard how creepy it is there ;D
Jabblog-oooh, happy you see her!
Can't wait...
Helen-Thank you! I thought ghosts would conjure some beguiling poems!
Teresa-Thank you! They really do ;D
Laurie-Thank you! I'm glad you see her and I bet you do understand~
Rinkly-You did not disappoint~ ;D
I see a ghost. It made me think of my Grandmother who saw ghosts in her lifetime. So my poem is not scary but it might be true. I actually prefer cremation, but she has made me hesitate!
ReplyDeleteO! I forgot a line from ghost poems! Back to work, and I'll return to repost and to read after my phone bank obligations.
ReplyDeleteElla, yes, I do see some ghostly figures! Your story about your Dad sent a chill through me. Now, off to write!
ReplyDeleteWill Bednar SHOULD read "Margaret Bednar". I forgot to switch my name back. :) Ella - how old is that house you photographed? And I DO see the womanly "image".
ReplyDeleteRight up my alley, Ella--I love this time of year, probably for all the wrong reasons. ;_) I see a woman in a dark blouse and long skirt, but of cours, it could be trees. Great prompt. I'll have to see what I can do.
ReplyDeleteHi Hedge-I believe you see what I see ;D I know, I love this time of year,too. I guess I'm enchanted, lol
ReplyDeleteMargaret-The link won't come up...but the house was used as a hospital in 1862 during the Battle of Shiloh. It is probably older than that... :D I am glad you see her!
Patricia-I hope I didn't spook you too bad~ I wondered if any of you have had any odd encounters?!
Susan-Add it when you can..I have to run and get a few things. I almost have my poem finished...I look forward to all of them~
Susan-I'm glad....wow, really do tell, sometime! I can see why...
Thanks for the wonderful Halloween prompt, Ellen. I am glad for the opportunity to write ghost poetry.
ReplyDeleteI fixed your link, Margaret.
ReplyDeleteDone!
ReplyDeleteThanks, again, Ella for this prompt. Wrote a poem inspired by a poet.
My ghostly encounters have been in the dream-sphere--not too many but a few that have been strange!
I love the story about your dad, Ella. I love the idea of being protected by our ancestors.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a ghost, but I do remember some remarkable "conversations" on a Ouija board. The ghost's name was Marco and he said some amazing things, things people in the room had no way of knowing.
I haven't incorporated a line from the ghost poems in your list because I found a photo, and my poem wrote itself. Must have been a ghostwriter.
Luv, K
Great prompt, and I have a spooky tale to tell!
ReplyDeleteAlright--amazingly was able to write something pretty off the cuff--which means it was a very good prompt. Thank you Ella. My encounters have also only been in dreams, but they have been extremely vivid--of my grandmother, so close I could feel her, and of various other loved ones from time to time--not living ones, however--I never get that same sense from them in those kind of dreams, of something else in the room with me. Happy Halloween to all!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, the offerings in here are FANTASTIC today. I have had a wonderful time reading all of the spooky tales.........I will be back to read more later......great work, kids! Perfect for Hallowe'en.
ReplyDeleteI see a ghost...it is a lady. Thanks for the prompt. I chose my favorite poet to inspire me, Edgar Allen Poe!
ReplyDeleteSusie-I know you so love Poe...can't wait!
ReplyDeleteSherry-I can't wait...this is better than trick or treat for me! And you are all sugar-free! lol
Hedgewitch-I look forward to it! You always bring magic in your words ;D I do believe spirits visit us in our dreams~
Sherry-Can't wait...I bet you do! :D
Kay-That works...I love that words took over and delivered your message! Ghostwriter...you are so fun! :D Sounds really scary...how old were you?!
Patricia-I do think our dreams can be quite vivid and revealing ;D
Kerry-Thanks for being so gracious!
I was out fighting trolls for candy... They had Christmas candy out..I almost fainted...??!!!
I look forward to your contribution :D
Happy Halloween everyone! Hope is is spooktacular! ;D
I did want to say Blogger was acting up, my poem may appear crooked...it would not post. I tried third time was the charm ;D
ReplyDeleteTrees? No way! I see the ghost, plain as anything!
ReplyDeleteOne thing...please please PLEASE, Toads...when you add something like the list of ghost poems here, PLEASE have it open in a new window, so a person doesn't have to leave the page and then come back. Just check the little box that says "open in a new window". I will keep nagging until it happens, cos I'm like that.
Ella... I forgot to add a line from the ghost poems you provided. Sorry. The "man" in the window of the Savannah Mansion is real... I did NO alterations.
ReplyDeleteMargaret-No big deal! I loved what you did~
ReplyDeleteFireblossom-I will do that! Thanks for telling me~ I will look for this box next time. I didn't see it...?!
Nice to see how insightful Toads truly are! I'm glad you see it~
The results were half n'half! Toads made me win! Thanks~
Happy Halloween Toads!
The villagers see a young Victorian couple in a small carriage once a year, on the anniversary of their accident.
ReplyDeleteI haven't ever seen them myself.
Sorry sooooo late the ghost ate my homework! :-)
ReplyDeleteCarrie-I wish the ghost would eat my candy! lol
ReplyDeleteAprille-Oh, that is spooky good~ :D
Loved this prompt, definitely something right up my alley. I've seen a few ghosts over the years, talked to a few as well. I've got friends who run a paranormal investigation group, been lucky enough to see some amazing photos and video footage as well as hear some really convincing EVP's. There's certainly more to life than we can see at times.
ReplyDelete