There’s been a massacre in this room.

Hearts have been stolen,

There is no refuge.

Don’t worry my dear,

My sweet candy cane!

The night is long over.

I’ve finished my game.

Have I scared you speechless?

Oh dear, what a mess!

You need not be scared of the blood on the floor.

I only took a heart for a heart,

And maybe stolen some more.

Did you come for the sounds?

That rang through this hall.

The sudden and quite terrible,

Caterwauls.

Fair maiden,

Brave prince.

I had a feast galore,

You seemed to have missed it,

For the food is no more.

Worry not my companions,

I do have a store,

Tucked neatly, carefully,

So you can see it no more.

I invite you,

Dear guests to a party right now!

Yes, do not hesitate,

I have a suit and a gown.

And enough wine to happily drown.

I have lungs, livers, hearts,

Brains, kidneys and other parts.

I’ll prepare you a feast,

So good you’ll turn into a beast.

Oh Madam!

You’re paler than the white of an eye.

Oh Monsieur!

You’re greener than the rotting, lush grass.

My guests, you must sit,

On my chair made of bones.

Take a rest,

Take a breath.

I’ll make sure you get home.

Oh!

You’d like to go now,

But we’ve barely started,

Don’t hasten!

We haven’t even partied.

Oh no.

Candy, oh liquorice, my sweet sugar cane,

Strawberry sauce has made such stains,

You cannot escape my chair full of bones,

Stop thrashing, stop frothing I’ll batter you with stones.

Oh Sir, Lord, Prince of the Rotten.

Your sister is up to snuff!

Stop worrying, stop fretting!

I’ve had enough!

Join the rest!

Be my food.

It’s the end of your quest.

***

Such pristineness,

Such glory,

I see you’ve become!

A Brave Prince, a Sweet Maiden,

You bleed on the floor.

You Ululate,

Or rather you did.

As I lopped of your limbs,

And tore out your throat!

Now you lie in repose,

As I devour my meal!

Oh my!

Oh dear!

Is that a knock on the door!

Well done, my sweets!

You did so well!

Your yowling, no! Singing,

Has turned into a smell!

It has wafted and drifted and caught a dog’s nose!

I wonder who has come,

a-knocking on my door.

A maid?

A slave?

Or many a more!

Now!

I’ll stop with procrastinating and open the door!

***

There’s been a massacre in this room-