The Hallowe'en Tree
By Ray Bradbury
It's big, it's broad...
It's broad, it's bright...
It fills the sky of All Hallows' Night...
The strangest sight you've ever seen.
The Monster Tree on Halloween.
The leaves have burned to gold and red
the grass is brown, the old year dead,
But hang the harvest high, Oh see!
The candle constellations on the Halloween Tree!
The stars they turn, the candles burn
And the mouse-leaves scurry on the cold wind bourne,
And a mob of smiles shine down on thee
From the gourds hung high on the Halloween Tree.
The smile of the Witch, and the smile of the Cat,
The smile of the Beast, the smile of the Bat,
The smile of the Reaper taking his fee
All cut and glimmer on the Halloween Tree...
The town was full of trees. And dry grass and dead flowers
now that autumn was here. and full of fences to walk on
and sidewlks to skate on and a large ravine to
tumble in and yell across. and the town was full of...
Boys.
And it was the afternoon of Halloween."