'~Literally~' & 'They Came From The Walls': Two Poems by Ellen Huang

~LITERALLY~

“Don’t cut me off!”

exclaimed the twelve-year-old

exasperated by grownups

who didn't do as they told.

They didn’t listen to his speech,

never cared what he would say,

only laughed and looked at him

and gossiped about him all day.

Oh, you’re so cute! giggled his aunt

I could just eat you up! she cooed,

tousling his hair, pinching his cheeks,

which he found rather rude.

But when he’d speak, she’d take a knife,

brandish it around, just her silver toy,

and cut him off so he couldn’t finish,

dismembering limbs from the boy.

Aw, he’s adorable! the aunt would say,

admiring him while he missed his hand.

She planned to save three fingers for dessert

baked with pepper til golden-tan.

The child would fume inside for a while,

toxic smoke while they all looked down,

til they chewed out his heart and he exploded—

now look up—dangling there, his voice is found.

---

THEY CAME FROM THE WALLS

after Neil Gaiman's The Wolves in the Walls

Hear them scratching, hear them growl

Hear them waiting for a chance to howl

Mom, there are wolves in our walls.

Hear them whispering, hear them plot

Hear them snickering, believe it or not

Dad, there are wolves in our walls.

Hear them pounce, hear them arrive

Here, they will never take us alive

We run from the wolves in our walls.

But I left my animal, and she’s all alone

Stuffed into bed in our surrendered home

I must face the wolves in the walls.

Break into home, the time is right

Slip through the walls, sneak on the light

Then scream the wolves in the walls.

Hear them panicking, hear them whine

Hear them whimper, and run for their lives

When the people come out of the walls.

Here I’ve found you, now it’s all right

The food is still hot; it’s still a good night

We scare the wolves in the walls.

---

Ellen Huang has a BA in Writing and a minor in Theatre from Point Loma Nazarene University. She enjoys wearing cloaks, burning things (pyrography), swimming in the ocean, and reenacting mostly Disney scenes on demand. Once, she recited/reenacted "The Jabberwocky" in front of Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky. While teaching kids to read and write, she's been able to appeal to their inherent dark humor, entertain with a dramatic narrating voice, and leave them inspired by her vast knowledge of children's lit (I mean, one can hope). She is one of the softest Slytherins you'll ever know. She is published in over 30 venues, including South Broadway Ghost Society, Sirens Call, Enchanted Conversation, briars lit, Gingerbread House, TL;DR Press, Awkward Mermaid, and Quail Bell Magazine. Follow her creative work (dramatic reading & cape-wearing included) at worrydollsandfloatinglights.wordpress.com. Find her on Twitter: @nocturnalxlight