103015   103024

At Berkeley Street on Halloween
I hid a bluetooth speaker in the ivy
spooky music laughed and screamed
hundreds came to our door 
some of the smallest walking alone turned and left without a word 
some bellicose boys challenged there wasn’t a real witch
many stood at the brick stoop puzzled and not much afraid but
not quite trusting what comes next.
Yearly we have little princesses with tiaras and wands
Draculas Frankensteins and Spidermen
scattered middle school boys enfold girls in in their arms
a few adults cross the yard for a plop of candy in their sacks
mothers carrying infants hold out small plastic pumpkins and they are
always empty.
Many parents hang together with flashlights in the street
their progeny gather and disperse house to house
by 8 o’clock I’m cold 
turn off the light
and return inside.