´óÏó´«Ã½

For years on end had not a soul
Set foot upon the grounds at night.
Never once during my patrol
Had anybody been in sight;
I tell you, this gave me a fright.
'Twas by the fountain, more or less,
From whence there came a cracking sound;
I looked about in great distress,
For there was nobody around;
I was looking at empty ground.
And all at once, I saw a shape,
A shadow? No, too clear for that
But surely (and this made me gape)
This figure, who, though posed no threat,
Was not entirely solid, yet,
There it was, now as clear as day,
A human shape, it seemed to be.
I add at this point, if I may,
That it was looking right at me!
The cheek, and on my territory.
Suddenly, the fiend advanced,
A horrifying, jerky walk
I stumbled backwards, in a trance
I struggled, scared I was, to talk.
But all that came out was a squawk.
Pointing a torch at the unknown,
I lit it up with utmost haste;
The beam it hit the figure straight
In his ungainly, fetid face.
I turned and ran, but he gave chase,
He caught me pretty quick, 'tis true,
And grabbed me from behind my back
And bound my hands together, too,
And dragged me roughly down the track
It was a strangely planned attack.