Mother told me of the Phantom

On a dimly lit road she walked alone

one night (excitedly, she now told)

 crickets hissing in the bushes

stars shining bright (country road, no street lights)

an owl watched her curiously;

perched on the branch of a high tree

then she stopped, instinctively

 a hallow silence, only breath sounds  

no crickets or nocturnal fray;

she’d never seen the night behave that way  

 what she saw next, was incomprehensible  

what looked like a giant, stood not far ahead of her

nearly the entire road he did straddle

leaving an open path in the middle  

her sleeping house, was no more than a hundred feet away

it would take hours to turn around

 and circle back the other way

 the phantom stood his ground

right before the road began to descend down

(she laughs nervously, as if reliving)

then she prayed for deliverance        

begging for the removal of the evil presence  

 her eyes opened, and there remained the obstacle 

with faith renewed and new courage gained  

 she walked unharmed, never looking back;

'though she was scared as hell'

(this is her favorite story to tell)