If we gathered all the monsters

from the middle of the night.

Put them in a glass jar,

with the lid screwed tight.

Would mom and dad sleep better?

Would Sis and I be glad,

that the monster in the cupboard

was not able to be bad?

But think of monsters mother,

would she worry about Jinn?

Would his dad have to fly about

and search the world for him?

Or if we knocked the lid off

or dropped it on the floor.

When climbing for a cookie

or swinging wide a door.

Would all those hairy monsters

leap up and catch us out,

before we had a chance to run

or give our mum a shout?

If you looked into the glass jar,

would you see them sitting there?

Or would they all jump up and scream,

to tell you not to stare?

Would they plead with you to free them?

Would they weep and gnash their teeth?

Would they promise not to haunt you –

and turn over a new leaf?

Would you really want to keep them,

shut up and far from home?

Could you bear to hear them crying

in their cold and glassy tomb?

Perhaps it would be better

to keep them in your head.

where you know you can control them,

when you’re safely tucked in bed!

 
 
David Garlick, Victoria, 1990