The Boogeyman

Once a night, the Boogeyman visits 
kids who stay up, kids who are bad, 
and kids who don’t believe. Under 
the bed and inside your head,  
the Boogeyman creeps around. 
The Boogeyman lurks without 
a sound. He hangs around. He 
waits for the perfect moment 
to become visible. He attacks 
in the dead of the night when 
the parents cut off the light. 
During the day, the Boogeyman 
takes the shape of a politician, 
a teacher, a secretary, a mom, 
a dad, a pastor, a police officer, 
or a homeless man under 
the bridge. The Boogeyman 
returns to his true form after 
he conforms. Beware of his 
gaze. Don’t make eye contact 
as it serves as an unwritten 
contract. Have no fear. Don’t 
be scared. All you need to be 
is aware. Sleep tight tonight. 
If something doesn’t feel right, 
get up and turn on the light. 

Kid’s Corner

What’s up, guys! So, I want to start a part of my website featuring young people’s writing. If you have children or know of children who want their work featured/posted on a frequently viewed website/blog at no cost at all, let me know. You can DM on here or email me at jessemcdaniel123@gmail.com. Please spread the word or share this post. I want to give young writers a chance for their work to be seen by the world and I have a platform to help. I will call it “Kid’s Corner”. I will of course give credit. I cannot wait to see what becomes of this! To view the website and to get a feel for how the work might look, check out jmacthedream.com #WriteOn

Crystal Ball

I looked in the crystal ball.
I saw my birth, rise, fall,
and death. I saw my life
with its darkness and light.
I saw roots. I saw my family
tree growing tall and strong.
I saw me as a child, exploring
unknowns, with an innocence
only children know and show.
I saw my future. I saw better
days. From an ariel view,
I saw the choices I made
and trees throwing shade.
I saw everyday as a game.
I was the star player showing
no fear: grinning ear to ear.
In the crystal ball, I saw
me at the top of a mountain.
I saw that I found a fountain
of youth. It’s the damn truth.
I saw it all in my crystal ball.
I know what I saw, and I saw
what I know. I saw my life
unfold. I saw me grow old.
In the crystal ball, I saw me
write deep into the night.

Unplugged

Back in the day, kids found a way
to play until the sun vanished.
Kids knew how to enjoy each other
in some of the worst weather.
Kids weren’t static. They moved
about: looking for adventures.
Technology has evolved into a
monster that can’t be conquered.
Not all can see it. Those plugged
in will never see it for what it is.
Trapped, torn, and born into
a life of phones, computers,
and smart cars that know
where we are – where we been:
life has never been the same.
Impossible to break free, try to
think of ways to rid yourself of
the hypnotic spell once cast.
If you are plugged in, find time
to get to the source and pull
out the cord. Unplug and see
your life just how you looked
at these words. Take a break
from screens stealing the time
that we never seem to find.