"The rains have passed and yet the leaves whisper.
On the edge of the forests, you can hear them pitter patter,
Whispering secrets one to the other,
Drip, drip, drip...
Too bad you'd never understand their chatter.
But hidden deep in the forest, there are those who do,
And you'd better beware cuz they've got their eyes on you.
They live behind the dense foliage that stands like a wall
Dividing the sun's light and the eternal night that falls
Beneath the canopy of branches and leaves
That shelters the forest's inhabitants.
Shush child!
Forget Papa Bois, the father of the wood
Who walks around on hooves and hunts the hapless hunter.
Forget Mama D'Leau or Mammy Water,
The formidable merwoman who lives in the forest's rivers.
For this tale speaks of none of them,
But rather of a band of nameless little children
Roaming the forests as one though they are legion,
Calling you out to play.
Douen.
Born of the souls of unbaptized children,
These faceless children urge you to stray.
Luring you away from your guardian's watchful eye
Urging you to stray so far you wouldn't hear their cry.
They walk on mossy carpets with feet turned back.
They keep their faces covered with huge straw hats.
The cold shadows of the forests is their Never Never Land,
And they're constantly recruiting new members to their clan."
I listen to the whispered story, and I shudder,
Still, I can't help but wonder
As the leaves whisper one to the other:
Where in the dark forest do douens shelter,
When it rains?
Dear friends,
I am pleased to participate in this week's challenge in the Blockchain Poets' community, inviting you to tell stories or poems using the prompt "Dark Forest".
In this piece, I chose to focus on the character of the douen which is part of local folklore in Trinidad and Tobago. Whether just cautionary tales to keep children from straying or inherited legends, tales of the douen and other evil spirits were enough to scare many children into obedience and to keep them from speaking to strangers.
I hope you enjoyed this rendition, I look forward to reading yours.
Have a great week, everybody!
