Chimney Sweep

It was a foggy summer's nightmare
Objects were so out of shape.
I heard a distant tapping somewhere
I was mad, for it was late.
A rumble of thunder had shook me
"Who is there?!" I called to them.
No one replied, so I got angry
"Answer now!" I tried again.

Another rattle at the old door
Made me jump out of my skin.
I grabbed the doorknob, as tension poured
Then I slung the door open.
I rubbed my eyes and scratched my dull head
For there was not a soul there!
"Come on out of that bush!" I had said.
No reply...I was then scared!

I slowly started to pull the knob
Then I gulped some whiskey down.
"What do you want?! I've nothing to rob!"
I could not hear any sound!
The door had stood still before my eyes
Then the window had a beat.
I turned to it after a short sigh
As I walked, the floorboard creaked.

The darkness made my vision unclear
I led my eyes to the glass.
The shadow of a man was right there!
I was so shocked that I gasped!
"Leave me alone!" I had called to him.
He then lifted up his arm.
A darkened finger came out of it,
Pointing in at something far.

I turned around to face the dark hearth
Now everything had been known.
While screaming "NO!" I turned to disperse...
Nothing stood before my host!
I heard some footsteps on the rooftop
Then I hid inside a hole.
It was so musty, I had to stop,
But there was no floor to hold!

Descending slower, tearing cob webs,
The dust was getting to me.
I started coughing, then I heard it,
Someone else just could not breathe!
It was so dark, I could not see him
I struggled more to get down.
While hearing movement, I felt so grim,
The walls weighed a million pounds.

Just as it seemed I ran out of luck
I could move down never more!
At that point I knew that I was stuck
My body felt very sore.
My limbs were scraping against the walls
I just could not bear the pain!
As I sucked up my last breath of air
I heard someone laugh in vain!

****************

Precisely seven days from that night
My chimneysweeper came by
What he had found there, made him turn white
He could not understand why...
"He was not supposed to drink at all"
That's what he probably said!
For he had seen a whiskey bottle
Stuck inside a rotting head.