the bridge was out The bridge was out Original bridge long gone But the replacement Built in 1901 Supposedly home To her ghost Phantom trains Seen and heard —Not another phantom choo choo We’re missing a centerpiece Eric We need a really good story Suppressed technology Tesla Free energy Ancient Astronauts Anti-gravity Vimana aircraft of ancient One hour films about hauntings Each of the 50 states Now it’s Iowa’s turn A lot of stories About cursed angels in cemeteries Of all states Have highest percentage Of residents Indifferent to ghost stories —Why are they so jaded? —Honey I don’t think a boat —Will be big enough for all of your cousins I don’t think that was meant for me —Oops that was for Lori —Am multi-tasking His fiancé Wants to get married On a ship That would sail Around the Too small To accommodate everyone And to transfer From a ceremony To a reception As smooth and quickly As they’d hope —I just want a simple Jewish wedding —And a great party with good music —That’s all —I don’t care about the flowers —And her relatives I don’t know —Just want it to be over —Over Secret societies The Knights Templar Time travel Cryptozoology Yeti, Skunk apes Sasquatch One daughter Julie Home from school 17 years old Blonde High wasted skinny jeans Blue crop top Been pouting Not eating much Not doing homework Stares out the window Plays with her hair Keep asking What’s wrong Julie? What’s wrong? Looks down Shakes her head We think it’s her boyfriend Nick Acting strange Distant Doesn’t know What’s going on Been together 9 months Not telling us much Tricksters Men in Black Skinwalkers Shape Shifters Jokers —Hey I found something —It’s a cool story Old newspaper clipping From 1903 Daily News That Winged Monster Town of Badly Wrought Up *** And to turn them And to turn them A great form Of some kind Peter has proof That the demon exists Huge wings Of skin A great form Reveals itself Builds a wall Around the footprint With cardboard strip And paper clip Hold the track Two parts plaster of Paris One part water Dries quickly The footprint A great form Of some kind I have proof I have proof Of the monster And to turn them From the darkness Night of October 2 nd Soft winds Rain from the North Quiet OV White Sleeping Second story room Fisher and White Hardware and Furniture Jolted awake Abrupt rasping sound Outside his window Loud chocking Liquid Heard the stories In town About the mysterious monster The demon He held the cast Of its footprint 3 toes Like a demon A great form Of some kind A flash of light In the darkness I behold Satan As lightning falls from heaven To open their eyes And to turn them From the darkness To the light Grabs his Browning Auto-5 Self-loading shotgun Louder gurgling sounds Rasping Opens his window Peers out Into the darkness and rain Nothing Mist But his eyes adjust Looks up A dark figure Great form Of some kind Shadow On the cross member Of the telephone pole Runs downstairs Stares up Thing has wings A gargoyle Takes deliberate aim Slow exhalation Pulls the trigger Fires Does not fall to the ground Does not fall to the ground Shines its light On him Like a headlight Shot from his rifle No effect Only woke it up Powerful musky Sulfur odor Overwhelming Staggers to the ground Neighbor Sidney Gregg Heard the shot Runs to the door See what commotion Is about Sees White Trying to crawl away Monster descends From telephone pole Using huge beak For grip Descends Upon reaching ground Stands erect 8 feet tall Lights from its forehead So bright Like a search beam Darts about Flaps its Featherless wings Sound of morning mail train In the distance Pulling into town Starts to run On all four feet Direction of old coal mine Wings