Halloween Gourd

I carved a tiny face into the bulb
of a small green gourd and cut
two holes into its head for air.

I carved a candle small enough
to put in it's head and cover
with the scalp I took from it.

It was a face with almost no
detail. Two diamond eyes,
a wedge nose and bow smile.

It had a fire in its head just
breathing enough to stay
awake and out of the wind.

You held it by the neck
upside down as the fire
heated the head inside.

A smell of hot pumkin-like
flesh came furtively out
of the bright eyes and mouth.

It's serene little face
looked ancient and glazed,
like some fossil that finds you

and tells you with its dead
features, all the dreams
of the hands that carve it.