Chicken Big, 16

Frightening Doggerel

A Son of Fear: heliophobia

He was his parents’only son.

That’s right—you heard me: only one.

And this kid really feared the sun.

He stayed indoors the whole day long.

(Was he a vampire? Nah, you’re wrong.

He hated blood, was not too strong.)

One day Apollo made a call.

“What’s up with you?” he  asked. “Does all

This sunshine really make you bawl

When you are in it?” “Yes, it’s so,”

The boy replied. “And now, I know,

I think it’s time for you to go.”

Apollo’s chariot flew away.

The more it rose, the more the day

Grew brighter, lost the foggy grey

Of morning. So the kid went on,

Spent all his days—so sad—withdrawn

From noon, from evening, from the dawn.

Much later—very old—he died.

His will said: “Put the grave inside.”

His fear had only multiplied.