# Nights of Storm and Stone

Author: ShingetsuMoon
Tags: Fantasy, Gargoyles, Poem, Poetry

#21 of Poems

Another poem for my poetry book. This one about gargoyles and there an added Doctor Who reference at the end!

Do you hear the whispers  
of the night? The scraping  
of stone against the pavement  
even as the sound of rain falls   
heavily on your ears?

Even the booming thunder  
cannot mask the sounds  
of pursuit as you flee  
through the twisting   
alleyways of a dark  
and dank city.

Monoliths tower overhead.  
Buildings of stone carved  
over the years into works  
of precious art.

Guarded by statues of   
stone beasts who guide  
the falling rains away  
to their proper places.

Lions with their mouths  
open in silent roars.

Dragons with wings   
spread as if they will  
soon take off in flight.

Griffins rule as kings  
over the silent array  
of stone guardians  
set before them.

Tigers and wolves  
calmly posed as  
fountains to delight  
the hearts of those  
who pass by.

Silent observers to  
the wickedness and  
evil of man.

For only a criminal  
would risk going  
out at night during  
the heavy storms  
that plague the land.

Only person with  
something to hide  
would sneak about  
in the dark corners  
while thunder and   
lightning clashes in  
war over their heads.

Do you hear them?

The statues now come  
to life?

Stalking through the   
streets?

Their footsteps masked  
by the rain but not   
hidden by it entirely?

Can you feel their   
unwavering gaze as  
it slides up and down   
your spine?

A creature of stone  
knows no fear and   
feels nothing but   
patience.

It can wait as long  
as the rain pours  
for you to take that  
one misstep.

That single hesitation.  
That one moment of   
doubt that finally  
makes you turn around.

For the goodhearted   
rarely venture out  
during such times and  
those that do know to  
never, ever turn around.

But the wicked?

Oh the wicked cannot  
resist just the smallest  
look.

Is it the guilt in their   
hearts which strikes  
them suddenly?

Or sheer curiosity  
that makes them want  
to gaze back and see  
if the rumors of stone  
guardians wandering  
the streets during the  
storms are really true?

The good know to   
stand still. To close  
their eyes and wait until  
the great beasts of stone  
pass. Their movement  
forever hidden from the  
eyes of men.

Wicked are the ones  
who turn to look and  
then to stare in horror  
at the instruments of   
their destruction.

Gaze with sickening  
dread upon the gargoyles  
of stone who silently   
serve the cities needs  
during the day, but   
come alive at night  
during the storms to  
punish those who would  
sneak around with   
evil intent in their hearts.

Stare into stone eyes  
that feel no malice.  
No hatred or anger.  
Only silent unquestioning  
patience.

For if they do not manage  
to capture you tonight  
then they will return to  
their perch.

Funneling the rains away  
and creating fountains  
the delight the children.

They will wait for the   
next night of storms to  
come.

And then they will  
roam the streets again.  
Hunting down the one  
who thought they could  
escape the guardians of   
stone.

So when the gargoyles  
lay their eyes on you at  
night...

...whatever you do...

...wherever you go...

...whatever happens...

Don't blink.

Source: https://sofurry.com/s/GnDkMkpm
Part of the series Poems
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