A distraction from the awful, at nine

Our countdown continues
October's nearly here
And with this year's losses
There is a mounting fear
But do not freeze in horror
Never bow your head
Because they are remembered
They are not truly dead

Remember the date at nine

As Halloween approaches
I can feel it getting nearer
The separation between weeks
Is slowly getting clearer 

Calendars make sense again at nine

I know we've all lost sense of time
Let me make one thing clear
Halloween will be next month
Which means it's nearly here

Withstanding it at nine

And the devil said, "You cannot withstand the storm."

And I said, "Dude, everyone has been inside the last few months. There is *no* way I'm going out, even if it's nice. Save it for next year."

First bell rings at nine

Books, paper, and pencils
A face-mask and some snacks
Packed lovingly by parents
In a bullet-proof backpack

3...2...1... At nine!

The first two-piece bathing suit
Was not met with calm
In Paris, nineteen-forty-six
It hit just like a bomb
In that first war-free summer
A brand-new way to tan
Named after an island
Wiped from the earth by man

Spraying for mosquitoes at nine

The cicadas are all humming
Outside, it's hot and muggy
I know that I was born here
But summer's always bugged me