WHEN THE MONSTERS COME OUT
Nighttime is when the monsters come out,
With their claws and their jaws
That gnash all about.
They watch you sleep,
All peaceful and deep,
But maybe they’re not as bad as you think.
Maybe they’re sad
And too scared to blink.
Maybe they like to roam in the dark.
Your small room
Is their
Amusement park.
—from 2023 Rattle Young Poets Anthology
__________
Why do you like to write poetry?
Rose Pone: “I enjoy writing poetry for multiple reasons. First of all, I’m simply a creative person, but writing poetry also requires knowledge and intelligence. This causes both sides of the brain to work in a manner that can only be described as satisfactory, or thirst quenching. As well as this, I enjoy the effortless escape from reality. In poetry, you can incorporate things from your life, but tamper with them however you may wish.”
