The Dancing Dead
by Grace Mahoney.
Smashwords Edition
© Grace Mahoney 2009
Published by Vamplit Publishing at Smashwords
~~~~~
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Copyright Notice
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or shared using any form of technology available now or invented in the future. This book my not be printed or shared in any way without the permission of the publisher. This book is sold subject to conditions that lending or sharing in any form is not allowed. This book may not be reproduced in any part, shared, distributed or copied without the permission of the publisher.
All characters in this book are fictional and totally invented from the author’s imagination. None of the events or characters in this book has ever existed outside the author’s imagination or the content of this novel.
~~~~~
To my husband and children who listen when I read my poetry and make all the right responses. To my parents who made me what I am today and my sisters, without whom I might never know how lucky I am.
~~~~~
Preface: My Dancing Dead
The Dancing Dead is a collection of vampire poems written over ten years, mostly for the amusement of my husband and children. It is the often whimsical response to the vampire’s changing face. When I first used the vampire as a test subject for the organic polymorphic metaphor, I couldn’t have foreseen the amazing changes in the vampire, from B-movie horror to star of the big budget blockbuster. The vampire has become all things to all people and from a humble, penny dreadful beginning the vampire is taking over the world. Why? Or more importantly how?
From the very beginning of humanity, there have been many vampire myths or legends around the world, from the hopping vampires of China to the strigoi from Romania and the vrykolakas from Greece. Since the Victorian Age, there has been an ever increasing ability for single vampire stories and mythologies to spread around the world and the vampire has evolved and diversified; from Nosferato, through Dracula and Lestat, to Angel, Spike, Blade, Henry Fitzroy, Mick St John and Edward Cullen. The internet has brought a new level to which authors may explore alternative vampire mythologies, develop new stories and broadcast them to the world. It is impossible to tell where the future of vampires and the genre as a whole may lead us.
If you ask me if I actually believe in vampires, I wouldn’t know what to say, but I do know what the vampire does for society; it acts as a giant mirror reflecting us. The vampire is the perfect literary vehicle for human society and the changes each new generation makes.
If you are expecting a totally serious literary collection of poetry, then I’m sorry. Included in these pages are the moments of madness in poetic form and with their publication I hope now to be able to move on and finally put the well honed stake in my vampire’s heart.
~~~~~
The Dancing Dead
In midnight realms under navy blue skies,
a foot tapping melody begins to rise.
Emaciated bodies begin to sway
unable to move by the light of day.
Waltzing around in dramatic fashion
faking and slaking a long dormant passion.
Enticing the innocents towards their play,
dancers beautifully putrid with decay.
Longing to finish their dangerous game,
calling, enthralling, the old and the lame.
Endorphin rich buzz suppressing the fear,
promised excitement is pulling them near.
Starting the dance, decayed bodies unfurling
untouched she dances, artlessly twirling.
Laughing and swaying in time with the beat
necrosis numb limbs in flamboyant flaming heat.
Circling the room her shambling, satanic groom
true nature hidden by the gloom of the tomb.
He watches and waits, always patience incarnate,
her terminal blind date now has a hunger to sate.
Whirling and twirling he touches her heart,
with a flick of his tongue her defences depart.
Using black arts, ancient, timeless and caressing,
in unison surging, unthinking progressing.
Pulsating with energy and raw aching need,
both ruthlessly selfish their taking gives seed.
The dance of the dead now eternally sated,
desire reborn, eternally mutually tainted.
~~~~~
Dripping with Blood
Walking and talking,
freaking me out
the lively undead stumble about.
Sliding and
slipping inside my dream
hands on my throat, I can't even scream.
Invading my mind, each
night as I sleep
into the darkness around me they creep.
Stealing
my soul with every bite
leaving my bedside before first light.
Dragging through life's
bland drudgery
dark glasses and coffee sustain me.
Until
daylight fades slowly away
night now my home, as I die with the
day.
Hunting as the hunger
drives me to feed
biting down hard, I grieve as you
bleed.
Dripping with blood, dancing in moonlight
my nocturnal
visitors collect me tonight.
~~~~~
Lady Dracula
As I lay sleeping in my
bed,
dreaming of the evil dead,
a sound and suddenly I
awake,
reaching for my hidden stake.
The dream’s real, as
is my fright,
undercover, I pray for dawn’s first light.
The
undead hoard is in my head
and to their prince they want me wed.
An arrangement, with
consent not mine,
is set to expand through all of time.
The
undead financier is taking me away
to hide me from the light of
day.
Groomed from birth for a
life of plenty and ease,
born to be a rich man’s expensive
squeeze.
What to do when all the rich men lose their money?
Well
daddy had an idea and ran it past mummy.
So last week, whilst
talking business with my father,
who calls this vampire a genius
and charmer,
my nocturnal admirer asked for my hand
in exchange
he’d buy daddy’s worthless land.
Well, I refused and told
the vampire to drop dead,
but daddy wouldn’t listen to anything
I said.
So apparently my honour is mine to defend
and I’m not
confident on how this will end.
With a clap of thunder
and a lightning flash
he’s in my room and all over me like a
rash.
My undead suitor is keen as can be
and in a blink of an
eye is down on one knee.
What do you say to a man
with a ring,
one rich enough to buy anything?
With a diamond in
hand and the deed to the land
my stake’s in the bin as I end my
last stand.
Today the press call me
Lady Dracula
and I feel like I’ve travelled nowhere, but so
far.
My husband still sucks the peasants dry
and I, as is my
due, in Ermine sigh.
~~~~~
Time and Tide
Where does the time
go?
Why is it fleeting?
On our face no age can show
death
the only enemy
decay an ebbing sea
flowing freely away from me.
~~~~~
The Respirationally Challenged
Vascular
hunger, drives them to feed.
Animated
corpses, suck blood with greed.
Making
them monsters, biting in the night.
Propelling
them, villagers with torches alight.
Inside,
protected from sunrise, safe in their tomb.
Reproducing
corpuscularly, converts they groom.
Exorcised
evil, now are heroes with a garlic allergy.
Staking
the good demon seems excessive to me.
~~~~~
The Midnight Madonna
The midnight Madonna is
skipping around
waiting, watching, listening for the sound.
The
sound of a child, that cries in the night,
breaking its delicious
heart, without respite.
The
midnight Madonna takes her family
from lost souls setting them
free.
Dancing in moonlight a ghostly pied piper
scooping up
innocence all around her.
The bloofer lady is
hunting again
bringing sadness the Madonna of pain.
Keep your
children from her hungering thirst
of ancient blood that’s
perpetually cursed.
The midnight Madonna is
dancing with glee
clapping her hands she is so happy.
Nightmare
mother that gives succour to none
so watch for her coming and run
children run.
~~~~~
Dancing on Air
Brighter than light,
flying through the night,
twisting and turning in the pale
moonlight.
Away from the city, the world without pity,
his
solitary soul, soars above the petty.
Dancing
on air, in death without care,
scouring the world with unblinking
stare.
He rotates, back flips then waits
thankful finally, for
the twisted fates.
Still
she stands, plans and waits till he lands
the vampires most loyal
and loving of fans.
Joyous a quiver, with a delicious shiver
she
waits for her nocturnal dream to deliver.
Swooping from the sky,
he lands near by
sweeping her up in his arms with a satisfied
sigh.
He twirls her around, lifts her off the ground
as her
pulse he’s found, she dies with no sound.
The light in the night
shines ever so bright,
as he drinks in the sight of her body all
white.
He dances on air with never a care
his dinner date’s
dead, well life isn’t fair.
~~~~~
Even The Undead Can Conga
Reanimated, shocked, slowly they rise
twitching and jerking in grisly surprise.
Decrepit cadavers follow the beat
out of the graveyard and into the street.
.
Under influences of crepuscular light,
putrefied inertia and zombie-like fright.
The conga’s undead swing left at the junction
grabbing stunned onlookers without compunction.
.
Crunching their way through flesh, bone and brain
undead and dead in a decaying dancing train.
Shuffling silently, eyes open wide, blind
devouring anyone they happen to find.
.
Open crypts, spewing out occupants
behind locked doors a sinner repents.
Nothing can save him as the dance turns his way
living flesh from bones as feasting, they flay
.
The dawning dead now transformed, take the floor
over the edge of nightmare stiffly they pour.
The revelation of doom form a listless line
the zombie conga now footloose, free to dine.
~~~~~
Twilight Texas Two-Step
Take
your vampire by the hand
swing around and watch them land.
Dosi-do
and take your stake
pierce the heart it’ll never wake.
Jump up once, then jump
to the right
twirl um round they sure do fight.
Don’t give up
just take the lead
watch out or it’ll make you bleed.
Take your vampire by the
hair
round and round without a care.
Grab a sword and swing out
wide
if you miss then run and hide.
Grab a torch from out
the crowd
skip to the left and shout out loud.
Light the vamp
and watch it burn
the next one down now takes a turn.
Choose a partner to
start again
just follow on and do the same.
Now you’re back
to the beginning
low on partners and you’re winning.
~~~~~
A Terrible Twist
A creature of the night
and a child of the light,
“I do like your shoes.” he
whispered, amused.
She pulled him tight as their dance took
flight,
he was dazed and confused, a little bemused
pupils
dilated, eyes wide, agitated
he took her beat from his head to her
feet.
Slowly taking the lead,
with her hungering creed
his hands lost their grip, as she did a
back flip.
His soul filled with need, as she proceeded to
feed
blood trailed down her lip and began to drip
heartsick and
sore, he swore he’d adore
smiling, laughing she danced him right
out the door.
Outside in the dark,
without rhythm and beat
broken, bowed in defeat, he lost all his
heat
as his life drained away, he managed to say
“Take me
away, far from the day”
with a gurgling snort, gently he
fought
with one final suck, he ran out of blood, then luck.
Throat ripped wide,
she’d lied as he died
lying to ones dinner, didn’t make her a
sinner.
He cried at the last, it was happening so fast
his body
lay as dawn turned to day and the sun’s first ray
finally, as is
litter’s way, he just blew away.
~~~~~
The Fangdango
Stopping, staring, eager
to see,
sensible people beginning to flee.
Walking away from
the man on corner,
a woman stops, desperate to warn her.
The man on the corner is
staring at her
making contact, he throws out a lure.
Clicking
heels whilst clapping his hands
aggressively sombre, before her he
stands.
Increasing the tempo,
never missing a beat
her heart rate increases in time with his
feet.
Damming her soul with his charming demise,
expanding
horizons with cunning surprise.
Inhaling the smoke of
his flaming Fandango
blood pumping, dizzy, the world moves too
slow.
The man from the corner stops, dead in his tracks
hand
outstretched for money, he tells her the facts.
Corrupted by blood, from
a long line of hunters
she’s now one of the prompt paying
punters.
Showing his teeth at the end of the dance
he pierces
her skin with corruption’s sure lance.
Now clicking her heels
and clapping her hands
shouting at strangers, they don’t
understand.
Wandering aimless, looking for her master,
scaring,
disgusting, those who move past her.
~~~~~
The Vampire Waltz
The blood red roses symbolize
a long lost life still angrily despised.
Laughter proves her lack of care
guarding her mind against despair.
Shrouded in darkness, clothed in pain,
dancing around whilst going insane.
Empty places filled by the long dead and gone,
listening, longing, desperate to belong.
Pounding, the grim dirge plays in her head,
a melody and movement to bring back the dead.
Slowly swaying, eyes closed tight again
mourning innocence, she’ll never attain.
Blood red and dripping, pain that keeps ripping,
Reality drifting, then sliding and slipping.
Past, present pulsating with dreadful intent,
filling her up, with old passions long spent.
Soul stripped bare in unanswered prayer
as life ebbs away into vacant stare.
Quietly dying she ceases to be brave
still lost in the song, but alive in her grave.
~~~~~
The Polkaing Vampire
Dancing, quietly, listless and pale in the cold moonlight under the veil,
feet bloodless, iridescently blue as over icy ground she frantically flew.
Gently, with silent movements of grace, wanting and waiting for death in this place.
Hand extended, points to the moon, daylight foretelling a dance filled with doom,
arching her instep she skips in the snow, pirouettes on points, but it’s all for show.
A child wanders near, alone as night disappears.
Full of innocence and fun, snow taken at a run
and a slide and a squeal, all childlike enjoyment laced with appeal.
The polkaing vampire fades with the light, lost in the moonlight, a child of the night.
Hoping and wishing with her tainted heart, tomorrow, the child makes an earlier start.
Sunshine Suicide
Lying and dying in the bright light of day
blistered and burning with each new ray.
Suicide sunrise has become quite de rigueur
the cult of death growing bigger and bigger.
.
Vampires lost in the shiny daylight
losing a battle, a choice not to fight.
Living forever is tiresomely banal
eating the neighbours becoming quite dull.
.
Daylight dwellers, food for the night
give up their lives never sensing our plight.
We feed off the blood of the ordinary folk
leaving them empty, crumpled and broke.
.
Pity us all, who can't live in the day
jealous of those who work for their pay.
We live out forever, in shadows and gloom
the sunrise is a joyful pyrotechnical doom.
~~~~~
The Vampire's Victims
She followed him into the cave,
pretending, like him, she was brave.
Only following where he led,
if it wasn't for him, she'd have fled.
For eighteen years, it had been the same
he got into trouble, she took the blame.
Brother and sister, bonded from the womb,
together from conception until the tomb.
When he dragged her from her bed
not listening, to a word that he said.
'Come on, there's something I want you to see'
following blindly, muttering 'More fool me.'
Smiling he shouted, 'Watch out they bite.'
looking around, she quivered with fright.
Inside the lair of a vampire nest,
clutching her stake, she prayed for the best.
The shrill screams escape at first light,
the horrified corpses on fire, bolt upright.
The corruption of death seeps into her skin,
finally he orders the slaughter to begin.
When each and every vampire is staked
and his thirst for destruction fully slaked.
Turning to her, through the blood smiled,
her twin is the image of innocence defiled.
Vampires from birth, defending their home
from vampires unfortunate there to roam.
The undead die best in the light,
because born vampires aren't tied to the night.
~~~~~
The Vampire
Vampire! Vampire! Shining bright
above the forest filled with light,
What authorial pen or style
Could tame thy evil purgatory?
In what story swept with lies
Shimmers daylight’s sunny skies?
On what threat that seems so dire?
What the stake dare piece the sire?
And what temper, and what lust,
Takes the vampire and breaks a trust?
And when thy fear began to die,
What dread fang? and what dread eye?
What the spellchecker? what the leap?
In what coffin was thy sleep?
What the novel? what dread soul
Dare its conscience take its toll?
When the night threw out their dead,
And evil banish’d from their bed,
Did the author smile to see?
Did society who made Dracula make thee?
Vampire! Vampire! Shining bright
Above the forest filled with light.
What authorial pen or style,
Could tame thy evil purgatory?
~~~~~
The Dead in my Head
I hear the dead inside my head, crying in the night, crying with fright.
I see their faces, in all different places, screaming to me a plea to be free.
I hear the dead when I’m safe and well fed, they whisper and call till my skin starts to crawl.
I see them in pain again and again, begging and wailing on a sea of blood sailing.
I hear the dead as I’ve previously said I feel their pain and it drives me insane.
I see them in the park in the absolute dark, illuminated by moonlight, a ghastly sight.
I hear the dead and despite what I’ve said, when their heart’s miss a beat it’s such a treat
I see them bleed as I sate my evil need, with a wicked greed as they beg and they plead.
I hear the dead, but not with dread aroused by the smell of the blood where they fell.
Life now expired in their dreams I am mired, as I walk the night hiding from the light.
I am the dead and the grave is my bed, immersed in the past I travel so fast
Through time and space in a state of disgrace the vampire of mythology, I make no apology.
~~~~~
Sadie Gray Come Out and Play
‘Sadie Gray, come out and play’
in the garden where the vampire lay.
He waited and waited for many a night,
looking at Sadie’s bedroom light.
‘Sadie Gray, come out and play.’
Every night the vampire would say,
as he waited for Sadie to let him in
and fill her with his immortal sin.
‘Sadie Gray, come out and play.’
No one to scold her, no mother to say
‘Come away, that boy’s up to no good’
Sadie would go where her mother stood.
‘Sadie Gray, come out and play.’
Moonlight in the garden, bright as day,
Sadie’s room filled with guilt and pain,
tempting her away from a life mundane.
‘Sadie Gray, come out and play.’
She jumped up from where she lay,
running down the stairs, out of the door,
not bothering with slippers on cold stone floor.
‘Sadie Gray don’t be sad come outside and be bad.’
As she opened the door, she knew it was mad.
On the step, stood the man of her dreams,
a monster that smiled, then smothered her screams.
‘Why Sadie Gray you came out to play.’
There was nothing more the vampire could say,
her throat he ripped, as he gorged his fill,
Sadie Gray twitched and then went still.
‘Hooray Sadie Gray is dead.’
The vampire said, his mouth still red.
Into oblivion he skipped and sang,
whilst Sadie’s phone just rang and rang.
~~~~~
Once I Danced With a Vampire
Once I danced with a vampire, twirling around,
Gliding, sliding, never a sound.
I touched the vampire and he was cold as ice,
As he whispered words designed to entice.
Once I danced with a vampire, he held me so close,
Taking, whilst giving me all I wanted most.
Picking me up as I held my breath,
as he promised to love me until the day of my death.
Once I lived with my vampire, in love and peace,
knowing too I would bring him true grief.
In daylight, lost, inside our lifeless home,
at night, off my feet he’d sweep me, as together we’d roam.
Once I loved a vampire and he loved me too
And, although I aged, our love stayed brand new.
He bled me of horror, drained me of pain,
In the twilight of my life, he did it again.
Once I died in my vampire’s arms and he cried,
he couldn’t bring himself to stay without me by his side.
Carrying me into the sunlight, so we need never part,
and praying as he died, for our brand new start.
~~~~~
Vampires 101
Icy skin that’s translucent and pale,
breath that’s corpse cold and quite stale.
Vacant eyes, iridescent and blue
killer eyes hungrily following you.
On our blood and souls the vampires feast,
behind human façade is death unreleased.
Glowing white fangs that slice to the vein,
mesmerized, you will feel no pain.
Drinking blood from the old and young,
taking life for dinner, draining it for fun.
When vampire’s come calling don’t invite them inside.
Grab a crucifix, Holy water, garlic, then run and hide.
Remember the vampire’s evil as it hunts in the night.
Vulnerable in the day, it can’t survive sunlight.
No reflection, no soul in this walking cadaver,
eternity of murderous bloodlust forever.
The only thing to do is to kill this immortal ghoul
A stake makes a perfect de-vampiring tool.
Decapitation and fire sends this cursed corpse to hell
throwing into flowing water in films works quite well.
Drop a handful of rice and the vampire can’t stray
as its trapped, unmoving, counting ‘til day.
Just in case a vampire moves into the house next door,
remember this poetic lesson in basic vampire lore.
~~~~~
On Vampire Bondage
Skipping and dripping
falling in love,
the vampire’s curse
her gift from above.
Nocturnal and eternal,
carefully it feeds,
sex on the mind
of a body that bleeds.
Looking and longing
nothing she sees,
stops her from smiling
eager to please.
Tempting and twisting,
tied to the bed.
Squeaking the springs
with the horny undead.
Dying and crying,
screaming in pain,
the vampire’s intention
drives her insane.
Crouching and crawling,
feeding on fright.
The vampire’s promise
fulfilled by first light.
Rigorous and rigoured,
the vampire retreats.
Safely to the grave,
never sleeps where it eats.
~~~~~
New Age Necrophilia
I love the undead
yes, you heard what I said.
The dead are all right,
when you stay up all night.
I love the undead
on the floor, on the bed.
Then we take it outside
and continue the ride.
I love the undead
with my heart and my head.
When things start to rise
and take me by surprise.
I love the undead,
‘cause I’m easily led.
As I open the door
to the vampire’s roar.
I love the undead
with their eyes shining red.
I’ll never stop giving,
while they love the living.
~~~~~
The Loneliest Vampire in Town
I die in the daylight, come alive with the night.
I'm looking for you, with preternatural sight.
Looking for a love that will live forever,
one to bind, you can never sever.
I walk in the moonlight and look at the stars,
hungry for love, I cruise all the bars.
Nothing of romance, can I find in my life,
nothing but heartache, pain and strife
I'm the loneliest vampire, I live in eternity,
looking for love to set me free.
I dance in the corner, all alone.
Won't some kind human please take me home.
~~~~~
In a Lighter Vein
If all the world was vampires
and all the sea was
sharks
and if the cows and sheep died
who would eat all
the grass?
*******
Roses are red
vampires are real
I’m
going to bite you
then you’ll squeal.
*******
Roses are red
violets are blue
vampires
eat people
just like you.
*******
Roses are red
blood is too
humans are
meat
and so are you.
*******
Roses are red
lilies are white
you’re
safe in daylight,
but watch out tonight.
*******
Roses are red
twilight is grey
the
vampires are coming
so you’d better pray.
*******
There once was a vampire from Belfast
who
drained all their blood to the last.
He
put so much weight
from an appetite he
couldn’t sate
that greedy vampire from
Belfast.
*******
There was a young vampire from Kent
who
left bodies wherever she went.
When asked
to tidy up after dinner,
she sulked and
got thinner.
That bad tempered young
vampire from Kent.
*******
As I was walking down the street,
I
stumbled on where vampires meet.
All at
once they stared at me,
as I fumbled for
my key
I wish I’d walked another
way
then I might have lived to see the
day.