Halloween, most happy of all holidays, draws near. With it, a new tradition… The 13 Days of Halloween. My true love has prepared a series of recordings for me to share here beginning tomorrow. Prepare to deck your halls with boughs of bone and batwing.

While we wait, I improved (in my mind) upon the traditional Christmas ditty…

The Thirteen Days of Halloween

On the first day of Halloween my true love sent to me
a Chupacabra in a scary tree.

On the second day of Halloween my true love sent to me
two flesh-eating grubs
and a Chupacabra in a scary tree.

On the third day of Halloween my true love sent to me
three darkling ravens
two flesh-eating grubs
and a Chupacabra in a scary tree.

On the fourth day of Halloween my true love sent to me
four murder dolls
three darkling ravens
two flesh-eating grubs
and a Chupacabra in a scary tree.

On the fifth day of Halloween my true love sent to me
five shape-shifting Things
four murder dolls
three darkling ravens
two flesh-eating grubs
and a Chupacabra in a scary tree.

On the sixth day of Halloween my true love sent to me
six ghouls a-slaying
five shape-shifting Things
four murder dolls
three darkling ravens
two flesh-eating grubs
and a Chupacabra in a scary tree.

On the seventh day of Halloween my true love sent to me
seven sins all deadly
six ghouls a-slaying
five shape-shifting Things
four murder dolls
three darkling ravens
two flesh-eating grubs
and a Chupacabra in a scary tree.

On the eighth day of Halloween my true love sent to me
eight ghosts a-skulking
seven sins all deadly
six ghouls a-slaying
five shape-shifting Things
four murder dolls
three darkling ravens
two flesh-eating grubs
and a Chupacabra in a scary tree.

On the ninth day of Halloween my true love sent to me
nine werewolves prancing
eight ghosts a-skulking
seven sins all deadly
six ghouls a-slaying
five shape-shifting Things
four murder dolls
three darkling ravens
two flesh-eating grubs
and a Chupacabra in a scary tree.

On the tenth day of Halloween my true love sent to me
ten vampires feeding
nine werewolves prancing
eight ghosts a-skulking
seven sins all deadly
six ghouls a-slaying
five shape-shifting Things
four murder dolls
three darkling ravens
two flesh-eating grubs
and a Chupacabra in a scary tree.

On the eleventh day of Halloween my true love sent to me
eleven witches watching
ten vampires feeding
nine werewolves prancing
eight ghosts a-skulking
seven sins all deadly
six ghouls a-slaying
five shape-shifting Things
four murder dolls
three darkling ravens
two flesh-eating grubs
and a Chupacabra in a scary tree.

On the twelfth day of Halloween my true love sent to me
twelve heads a-tumbling
eleven witches watching
ten vampires feeding
nine werewolves prancing
eight ghosts a-skulking
seven sins all deadly
six ghouls a-slaying
five shape-shifting Things
four murder dolls
three darkling ravens
two flesh-eating grubs
and a Chupacabra in a scary tree.

On the thirteenth day of Halloween my true love sent to me
thirteen cursing crows
twelve heads a-tumbling
eleven witches watching
ten vampires feeding
nine werewolves prancing
eight ghosts a-skulking
seven sins all deadly
six ghouls a-slaying
five shape-shifting Things
four murder dolls
three darkling ravens
two flesh-eating grubs
and a Chupacabra in a scary tree.

By Angela Yuriko Smith

Angela Yuriko Smith is a third-generation Shimanchu-American and award-winning poet, author, and publisher with 20+ years of experience as a professional writer in nonfiction. Publisher of Space & Time magazine (est. 1966), producer of the Exercise Your Writes YouTube podcast, two-time Bram Stoker Awards® Winner, and HWA Mentor of the Year for 2020, find her at angelaysmith.com.

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