Upon a Scottish Moor

Upon a Scottish Moor

By Tracy Farr

A thousand years, or so, ago
There lived a creature, so I'm told,
Who lived upon a Scottish moor and screamed into the night.

The village folk did hear its din,
But no one dared to search within
The moor to find the wretched beast that gave them such a fright.

At dark all doors were double locked
And when it prowled nobody talked
But listened as the beast did scratch and paw its way around.

And every fortnight it did take
A chicken, pig, or heaven's sake,
A child left unattended, and it never made a sound.

Some said the beast was just a dog
While others joked a monster frog
But that was when the sun was up and courage did run high.

But soon as light turned into shade,
The courage lapsed, did fade away,
And every soul did quake to hear the screaming in the night.

A thousand years, or so, ago
A monster lived, and now I'm told,
It still is heard on dreary nights upon a Scottish moor.

But since I live across the sea,
And doubt the beast will dine on me,
Who cares? It's just a story, but I liked it. Any more?