Abundant harvest, long since reaped
- now barren fields, fully heaped
with dust and desiccated mud,
confront another kind of flood:

grim shadows flocking vertigo
verge vengeful on a frail scarecrow
forsaken, bent defenseless here,
as ravens circle, caw, and jeer,

They gut the gloves, lash boots and hat,
claw overalls, snag shirt and scat,
repeating till he's rags to rod,
a broken ghost, a flogged facade.

Victorious, they perch and vaunt,
but phantom fabric flails to haunt!
Dread's effigy revives their fright:
a strawman writhes undead tonight.