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Along that country road,
The only house I saw,
Would like to use their phone,
And let my hands thaw.
Through the gate to the porch,
On the door I knocked.
Please come in,
It's not locked.
Who may you be,
You're welcome here.
That's what the voice said,
From somewhere near.
Felt so nice,
with a fireplace,
And in the light,
A lady's face.
I turned to her,
When she talked.
She asked where from,
Have I walked.
I told her I'm stranded,
My car broke down.
I asked how far,
To the nearest town.
She said not far,
And I have no phone,
I don't have a car,
And I'm here alone.
I thought how strange,
What a lonely life.
Why hasn't anybody,
Taken her for a wife.
She introduced herself,
And said to me,
If you please,
Call me Betty.
Then with a smile,
And dressed in pink,
She offered me
Tea to drink.
And above the fireplace,
On the mantel,
She showed me a picture,
Of her dressed in flannel.
She explained,
How it was long ago,
When that picture was taken,
But her age didn't show.
We talked till late,
And stories we share,
I fell asleep,
In a comfortable chair.
I woke in the morning,
At sunrise,
Betty asked if I'll return,
With sadness in her eyes.
I told her I could,
Come back this way.
I asked why the sadness,
She said, "I can't say."
As we walked toward the door,
Off her blouse a button popped,
Right there on the floor,
That button dropped.
I don't know if she noticed,
But she didn't seem to care,
And I was saying goodbye,
While leaving there.
After my car was fixed,
I drove back to Betty's farm,
Hoping to see her,
The lady with charm.
The place looked different,
Something wasn't right,
I couldn't believe it,
It was a terrible sight.
The windows were broken,
And some were cracked,
The house was run down,
And care it lacked.
The door off it's hinges,
And leaves across the floor.
The place was vacant,
No one lived there anymore.
But then I found something,
To Betty I could link.
On the floor was a button,
It was Betty's I think.
I picked it up,
And thought of Betty's blouse.
Could this be,
A haunted house?
I wondered,
Was Betty a ghost?
How will I know,
Who was that perfect host?
So I drove to town,
And I drove real fast,
I wanted to know,
About Betty's past.
I rented a room,
And asked around,
I was told a story,
By an old man I found.
The story he told,
Was quite frightening.
Young Betty was killed,
She was struck by lightening.
It was thirty years ago,
When sweet Betty was found dead.
Her parents moved away,
Without a word said.
Did this house,
Betty inherit,
In this house,
Is Betty's spirit?
Is it true,
Is it actual,
Does Betty exist,
As supernatural?
How will I know,
How can I be sure,
The things she said,
I believe it was her.
© By Matthew Ballard
www.rhymesandpoems.com |
