Hello everyone! Mish here as your host for Tuesday’s Poetics.

Though my prompt fell into the time frame of Halloween celebrations, I debated the use of the theme. I believe we have enough to shudder and scream about these days. At the same time, I searched for something light within the darkness to bring you today’s challenge.

You may not be a scary movie buff, but I think we can all come up with a few that we enjoyed or at least forced ourselves to take a peek at. It was in the year of 1973 that one particular famous film, “The Exorcist” was showing at our local drive in and I reluctantly went with my first boyfriend. The larger the screen, the more horrifying it was. Needless to say, we left before I could even put a dent in my popcorn. That’s when I concluded that spook shows were not for me.

Just like any other genre, horror films have their iconic scenes and lines. Even though we may have strategically blocked out the images, some of the quotes still leave an imprint. On the other hand, “Heeeeere’s Johnny!” is one of those lines that isn’t complete without a picture of Jack Nicholson breaking through that flimsy wooden door with an axe. So I suppose some scenes are never erased.

For today’s prompt, I’d like us to throw some light on these lines and take them a different direction. I have compiled a list of some fright flick quotes below and attempted to avoid anything overly gory. Your mission is to choose one as the FIRST line of your poem. If you feel compelled to write from the darkness, you certainly may but I thought it would be interesting to let the line lead you somewhere else. Rainbows and butterflies are welcome. Where does that first line take you? I can’t wait to find out.

“It’s alive!” – Victor Frankenstein, Frankenstein (1931)

“It was beauty that killed the beast” – Carl Denham, King Kong (1933)

“We all go a little mad sometimes” – Norman Bates, Psycho (1960)

“You’re going to need a bigger boat” – Martin Brody, Jaws (1975)

“Sin never dies” – Margaret White, Carrie (1976)

“Here’s Johnny” – Jack Nicholson, The Shining (1980)

“They’re here….” – Carol Anne, Poltergeist, (1982)

“Trust is a tough thing to come by these days” – The Thing (1982)

“Thrill me” – Night of the Creeps (1986)

“I see dead people” – Cole Smear, The Sixth Sense (1999)

“I know what you did last summer” – Ben Willis, I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

“You know, there are two kinds of evil” – Laurie Strode, Halloween Ends (2022)

“Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep” – Nancy Thompson, A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

“Look for the fog” – The Fog (1980)

“We are the ones that dwell within” – The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)

“Help me. Help me be human” – Jeff Goldblum, The Fly (1986)

“I am rumor” – Tony Todd, Candyman (1992)

“Where we’re going, we don’t need eyes to see” – Sam Neill, Event Horizon (1997)

“It is truth, but truth is not always appearance” – Johnny Depp, Sleepy Hollow (1999)

“Fiddlesticks, I don’t know what possessed me” – Kate Hudson,, The Skeleton Key (2005)

As always for Poetics, there is no specific form required. Please note the source of your chosen line.

Here’s how to join in:

• Write a poem of any style in response to the prompt. Post it to your blog.
• Click on Mr. Linky and add the direct URL and your name.
• Add a link to dVerse so that others can find us.
• Read and comment on the work of others.
• Pop into the pub to comment or say hello! We are friendly folk.