Preview edition — Poet of Chilling Shivers is still in progress. The poem is as it appears in the video; the commentary is a working draft.
The biggest toy store did it again with their newest invention
An advanced remake of a powered teddy bear that mirrors a user's emotions
It is of this joy of creation that my childhood memory had grasped to tell of its horror
The best and nightmarish model, Cuddliest Frostbear slept in the same room with me in silent gloom and doom
Frosty as we call it, was too much perfect for being a toy, for it cuddled with the most comfiest touch
With beautiful night rhymes it sang in one switch or punch
At snack time it entertained us when we take our biscuits to crunch
Frosty was bought as a birthday present for my cousin, Dream
I played with my old toy train whenever she takes the bear to play with her teacups and kettle
And at bedtime I remind her to set Frosty to night mode and tune down the lullaby a little
Till one unfortunate night at a nursery hour, Frosty was locked away because Dream didn't do her homework
It got worse when other playmates threw stones at Frosty at the lawn when they found Dream to be annoying
A couple of times poor Dream run to Auntie and forgot to take heavy Frosty leaving it to glitch in the rain
The malfunction became more as Frosty was exposed to perceive horror stories told by Dream's older siblings to make us sleep on time
As weeks turned to months some said it was cursed as they saw it kill a neighbor's dog offensively
Others said they had seen it mimicked growling and had been associating itself with wild bears over fences
Whether the rumors were true or not Uncle and the rich store assured to test the triggers of Frosty's self-defense
One midnight my broken toy train beeped which woke me up to a jolt and there
I saw Frosty in a thinking pose and beaming with smile
I felt a chill down my spine, my little heart beating as the teddy bear turned maliciously to Dream from a mile
“Dream, Dream wake up what the heck! turn off that accursed toy”
Shouting her name once more and it was much for me as a little boy
As soon as Dream woke up Frosty turned automatically off
The next day, nobody believed me
Auntie said I had a fever
Dream said I maybe upset because my toys were fewer
Uncle told me he will reset Frosty and for toys there will be more newer
As silent nights passed, strange sights came to light
One moonlight, my faulty train beeped once more.
Turning my tired head to the other side, I yawned
As the clock tick-tocked I observed the room in seconds and gave a loud scream in shock
Dream and Frosty were gone!!!
Through the window, I saw them on the lawn
Did Dream sleepwalk
Did Frosty lure her with songs or fairytale talks
With so many questions, I went downstairs and started banging doors
No response
Uncle!! Auntie!! Cousins!!
No response
Grabbing a bucket of water, I rushed outside in the cold
The breeze made my teeth chatter as I sped with a bold to hold
Dream dream wake up!!
Frosty frosty where are you taking her, stop!!
Dream slept deeply and cuddled around the teddy bear's soft fur
So much further she went murmuring in her sleep
And teddy bear kept walking to the darkness beyond
As I tried to reach her dress, Frosty shoved me away
Nearly tripping over the bucket, my heart almost froze
And I could hear my toy train beeping once more as I fell
Rising up, I threw the water at them
Frosty broke down, glitching
Dream also woke up clenching
Uncle and neighbors soon came around, asking of the whole story
Whilst some onlookers applauded others felt sorry for the fall of the most cuddliest toy
Poet of Chilling Shivers · Hear it on the channel ↗
Commentary
This longest poem of the volume is a story in verse about a toy that should have been safe. A child’s bedroom, a birthday teddy bear and a small toy train become the ingredients of a slowly rising horror.
The toy store’s “newest invention” is an advanced teddy bear that “mirrors a user’s emotions.” Named Frosty, it is “too much perfect for being a toy,” singing “beautiful night rhymes” and joining snack time. It is bought as a birthday present for the speaker’s cousin, Dream, and shares the speaker’s room “in silent gloom and doom.”
Trouble begins when Frosty is locked away, hit by stones from other children and left “to glitch in the rain.” Rumours grow that it is “cursed” and has killed “a neighbor’s dog,” and an uncle promises to “reset” it. One midnight the speaker’s toy train beeps and Frosty is seen “in a thinking pose and beaming with smile.”
Nobody believes the child’s warnings until another midnight, when Dream and the bear have gone out onto the lawn. The speaker rushes out with “a bucket of water,” shouts for help and throws the water over the bear. Frosty “broke down, glitching,” Dream wakes, and the poem ends as onlookers pity “the fall of the most cuddliest toy.”