Through the steam of the day and the heat of the night, Horrid scents a mist and sounds to give you a fright. It’s told a creature lies in wait for its prey to arrive, To feed on their screams while they beg to survive. With hair that pricks like nails and eyes that cut through the soul, Of any living thing.... no one can console. The gators and the snakes and the swamp people alike, Know better than to awake the evil on this night. When the moon is hidden on the dark side of the earth, The hunters come out to get their money’s worth. The sky is as black as it possibly could be, So the sight of the beast, few will ever see. A bounty of great for the lucky one who dare, To capture, to kill, to harm without a care. But hunter beware for worse than its bite, Is the unbearable scent it leaves in the fight. The scar that no soap can ever wash away, Is the odor of death that forever will stay. Truth be told I am one of the few, Who stood face to face...if you only knew. A sight of pure death scarred deep in my brain, And the smell in the air that could drive any man insane. But behind its eyes I swear that I saw, Standing in front of me was not a beast at all. But a frightened creature just trying to survive, In a world of hate, does anything to stay alive. I was not there to capture, to kill or to harm, I put my hands up to say don’t be alarmed. He must have seen behind the scared eyes of mine, This curious young man who just wanted to find. The truth behind the urban legend told, To scare the lights out of the young and the old. It turned way and walked into the dark, And left me standing with my hands on my heart. I took a deep breath and said a silent prayer, That God would help me make others aware. Before we decide, judge and condemn, Remember that hate and evil comes from within. But if you wish to see that my story told is true, Be sure to head out on the next New Moon. To the swamps and the wetlands of the Florida Straight, That is where you will find the legendary Skunk Ape.