When They Go Trick Or Treat

by Barry Frauman

Children parade colorful
as autumn leaves they crunch under trees
still crowned in yellows and reds
defying the gray of the overcast sky.
Purple-blue red-nose clowns,
turtles green as the hair of the witch
sticking out from under her black pointed hat;
she's seven years old and pigeon-toed
and waiting for Mom to bring her
the orange plastic pumpkin with shiny black handle
for carrying candy and cookies they get
when they go trick or treat,
like the monkey and kitty across the street
with bits of cellophane stuck to their cheeks
from wrappers of soft chewy caramels
melted and glued in the heat of their fists.
Their pencil makeup smudged all over,
boy are they having fun!