The Ghostly Craven

Once upon a midnight dreary,
I felt a presence, cold and eerie,    
Watching from every corner, leery,      
In the dark, where nothing's cheery      
     
Silent shadows, creeping, crawling,      
Whispering secrets, dark and appalling,    
Stalking me, my fear enthralling,      
Their dark embrace, forever calling      
     
Every creak, every groan,      
Makes me shiver to the bone,      
Feeling lost and all alone,      
In this haunted house I call my home      
     
I try to flee, to no avail,      
Their gaze follows, without fail,      
Their laughter, like a mournful wail,      
Echoes through my mind, an endless trail      
     
Now, every night, I close my eyes,      
And dread the moment, when I'll rise,      
To face those lurking in the guise,      
Of nightmares, in a thousand lies      
     
The darkness comes, and with it, fear,      
As I feel their presence, drawing near,    
Watching me, with eyes austere,      
And I know, that they'll always be here