Janet Lawler Children's Author: Poem Zone, Children's Poetry

POEM ZONE

I love to write poetry and I like to see kids laugh and smile. So I often write humorous poems about things that happen to kids or feelings many of them experience. Night Fright was published in Shoofly, an audio magazine for Children, in the fall of 1997.

Night Fright

by Janet Lawler

I’m afraid of the shadows, of what’s in the dark.

I hear insects buzzing. I hear a dog bark.

I pull up my blanket to cover my face.

Oh, why can’t I sleep in some nice, sunny place?

I’m too scared to move and sit huddled alone.

I wish I were bigger, much braver, and grown.

I think of “nice things”, as my mother has said,

as I tremble and quiver and quake in my bed.

If I run down the stairs, as I’ve done twice before,

my mother will yell, “Don’t come down anymore!”

So I shiver and shudder and think, “What to do?”

The shadows are hiding a monster, no two!

I let out a whimper. I try to be brave.

I pull down much further. My blanket’s a cave.

But time is still passing. I can’t go to sleep.

I’m starting to sniffle and soon I may weep.

I hope for a rescue, a way to escape –

a strong superhero may fly in his cape,

and carry me down and away from the dark,

away from the buzzing, the shadows, the bark.

But wait! An idea has come into my head –

I can do it alone, without leaving my bed.

I reach out my arm, stretching out to the right,

and, flip!, with one finger, switch on my night light.


	Home If Kisses Were Colors A Father's Song A Mama Bug's Love Tyrannoclaus Chatting With Janet Poem Zone Start Writing for Kids School Presentations Curriculum Guides Contact Janet	POEM ZONE I love to write poetry and I like to see kids laugh and smile. So I often write humorous poems about things that happen to kids or feelings many of them experience. Night Fright was published in Shoofly, an audio magazine for Children, in the fall of 1997. Night Fright by Janet Lawler I’m afraid of the shadows, of what’s in the dark. I hear insects buzzing. I hear a dog bark. I pull up my blanket to cover my face. Oh, why can’t I sleep in some nice, sunny place? I’m too scared to move and sit huddled alone. I wish I were bigger, much braver, and grown. I think of “nice things”, as my mother has said, as I tremble and quiver and quake in my bed. If I run down the stairs, as I’ve done twice before, my mother will yell, “Don’t come down anymore!” So I shiver and shudder and think, “What to do?” The shadows are hiding a monster, no two! I let out a whimper. I try to be brave. I pull down much further. My blanket’s a cave. But time is still passing. I can’t go to sleep. I’m starting to sniffle and soon I may weep. I hope for a rescue, a way to escape – a strong superhero may fly in his cape, and carry me down and away from the dark, away from the buzzing, the shadows, the bark. But wait! An idea has come into my head – I can do it alone, without leaving my bed. I reach out my arm, stretching out to the right, and, flip!, with one finger, switch on my night light.	Night Fright Lots of kids are afraid of the dark. That’s because they have wonderful imaginations that keep working after the lights go out. When I was little I was afraid of the dark and sometimes I still am! I wrote this silly poem about a kid who shares that fear. But I also am the parent in the poem. My son always tiptoed down the stairs and away from the dark when he was young. After two or three visits, I’d tell him not to come down anymore!


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