A vigorous Boo to all of my loyal readers. I appreciate you all more than I can say, as far as you know. If you were here, I would give you a piece of candy and tell you to get the hell off my porch.
I kid. Be safe. And – especially if you’re back east in the deep snow – be warm.
Now if you want a little something scary – monstrous – for your All Hallows Eve, here’s a bit of poetry:
In the desert
I saw a creature, naked, bestial,
Who, squatting upon the ground,
Held his heart in his hands,
And ate of it.
I said: “Is it good, friend?”
“It is bitter-bitter,” he answered;
“But I like it
Because it is bitter,
And because it is my heart.
– Stephen Crane
Metaphor 
Hey Joseph, this is great! I finally got a chance to sit down and read it aloud to myself. It's tight and soundful. You really got in there and peered back out. Thanks!
And one for you, ya' old porchspook:HalloweenaryI covered my house in fog,scattered bones on the yardstill red and greedy with theirpurpose, lit grimaced gourdswhose eyes spat flame, filledhidden speakers with catyowl,woodcreak, and zombiemoan,strung spidersilk across windowand doorway, sat ghoul macabrein a front porch rocker, pouredbloodsugar and toothdecay intodread kettles of witchborne candy and no one came. Somewhere, thechildren are missing, taken by oldghosts that will never come again.Joseph GalloNovember 1, 2011