The Thacher Park Monster

By George Robinson
Registered Copyright 2019

Up in Thacher Park we feel the earth go bump and rumble,
Piles of rocks slide off downslope and end up in a tumble.
Scientists call those earthquakes, but let me here explain
It’s the Thacher Park Monster, stomping on its chain!

This Monster’s really hairy, from head down to its toes
Along with that a terrible smell that spreads wherever it goes.
With great big Monster eyeballs, and its great big Monster teeth,
But the very biggest parts of all are its great big Monster feet!

One night it climbed down to the lake, then jumped and dove right in
And lots of fish got eaten up in one quick Monster swim.
It climbed out at the campground on the shore of Thompson’s Lake,
And put out all the campfires in one big Monster shake!

It stomped and stomped and stomped and stomped
And shook the whole campground,
Pots and pans, cups and dishes flying all around. [Am]
Tents collapsed and trailers flipped, in a haze of dust and smoke,
Dogs were howling, babies bawling, then the Monster spoke:

OH,OH,OH SO HUNGRY
OH,OH, I MUST EAT!
GIVE ME ALL YOUR SNACKS … AND TREATS!

A little boy and a little girl stepped forward with some candy
The Monster bent down for a peek, MM, MM THAT LOOKS DANDY
They held their offering way up high, while shaking in their shoes.
BUT NO DESSERT BEFORE MY MEAL AND THAT MEAL WILL BE YOU!

And all the people gathered across the whole campground,
Some moms and dads began to charge, but soon they all fell down.
Because the Monster stomped again in the dusty moonlit gloom.
The children stared into its eyes, prepared to meet their doom.


[soft] But then two ghosts from long ago began to come awake,
John and Emma Thacher rising from the lake,
John Boyd the Mayor, Emma Treadwell his kind wife,
All the Monster’s thumping had brought them back to life.

And Emma said, “Just look at you, a natural disgrace!
You know this park has always been a special children’s place,
And who are you to threaten these two who are so very brave?
Monsters are not welcome here, so back now to your cave!”

The Monster growled in anger, but Emma knew no fear,
She had a special secret that she whispered in its ear,
The Monster turned and skulked away on up to the escarpment,
And now it is confined inside its stony, dark apartment.

It lives on newts and insects and eats an occasional bat,
And so the Monster stays alive, but never gets very fat.
Hikers sometimes take a chance and crawl down in its lair
Sometimes they come out again, sometimes they disappear [soft].

And on a stormy, windy day, spring, winter, summer, fall,
You might just hear the Monster as it moans its sorry call:
OOH, OH, OH, ME, MY LIFE IT IS SO HARD!
But Emma T and John B are keeping up their guard!

[soft] Well, what was Emma’s secret that sent the Monster away?
And if you see a Monster, whatever would you say?
(And you, and you, and you, and you, whatever would you say?)

Well…?