Charmed Chaos
Musings on Life, Love, and Linguine-Poetry & Writing
Will-O’-Wisp
In fading grey twilight cool and crisp
before night’s orchestra comes alive
there in marshland floats a will -o’- wisp
and swamp creatures run from the ghostly surprise
When night’s melodic orchestra comes alive
great horned owls hunt for skittering prey
swamp creatures run from the ghostly surprise
as gnarled ancient trees howl and sway
Great horned owls hunt for skittering prey
furry brown rabbits seek solace from their plight
as gnarled ancient trees howl and sway
Night roosting birds chatter, take urgent flight
Furry brown rabbits seek solace from their plight
for there in marshland floats a will -o’-wisp
Night roosting birds chatter, take urgent flight
In fading grey twilight cool and crisp
©2021 Linda Lee Lyberg
Author’s Note: In folklore, a will-o’-the-wisp, will-o’-wisp or ignis fatuus (Latin for ‘giddy flame’,[1] plural ignes fatui), is an atmospheric ghost light seen by travelers at night, especially over bogs, swamps or marshes. – wikipedia
dVerse Poets Pub: MTB
Linda Lee Lyberg is a wife, mother, artist, published poet and author. She resides in Mesa, AZ with her husband Pete (aka The Big Viking) of 24 years and their latest rescue, Jackson “Jax” Lyberg. Linda writes various forms of poetry, as well as short stories. You can read more of her works at: charmedchaos.com and view anthologies containing her work here: Amazon Author Page
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15 Comments on “Will-O’-Wisp”
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Charmed Chaos 
I think a swamp would be very scary at night!
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Yes, we lived in Louisiana briefly when I was a child, and it was scary even in daylight.
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I imagine it would be!
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You’ve created a spookiness that brings the night alive! Wonderful pantoum, Linda!
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Spooky… Well done!
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Thank you!
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This is deliciously spooky, Linda! 💝 I especially admire the image; “When night’s melodic orchestra comes alive.” 😀
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Terrific piece Linda – the repetition works so well here – and for me it was like a darting eye – looking here at this noise, then over there, then back again. Conjured that liminal moment when shadows drift and pale souls quake in their boots.
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Thank you!
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I’m so impressed at your mastery of this form. I’ve been writing pantoums for three days and just can’t make myself stick to it, the keep turning into “pantoumish” as in not really a pantoum. What I especially like about the successful entries using this form, like yours, is how the repetition is so subtle, you don’t really see it until you take a step back.
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Thank you so much. It is one of my favorite forms.
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You managed to capture the spooky atmosphere while still made it seem cozy.
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Thank you Bjorn.
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An atmospheric pantoum with subtle changes in the variations which contribute to the poem’s flow.
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Thank you Ingrid.
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