A Dark December

Midnight, and the whispers begin.

I'm morphing shapes and shedding skin.

A devil's curse donned once a year

Awakened in December drear.

Every night, the whispers rave

Punish those who've misbehaved!

And every December night, I morph

To discipline deviance without remorse.

Horned and cloven, the naughty gleam

And muffled whispers turn to screams

As I heed the call in my demon ear

To seek and punish--incite fear!

And perhaps they will behave next year.

Now, who am I? Must you ask??

A demon bearing quite the task

I'm no Saint Nick--quite the opposite.

Damnable. Ghastly. Monstrous.

Perhaps you've heard of me...?

I am Krampus.