Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Halloween, or Celebrating the Dead

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Tom Skelton shivered. Anyone could see that the wind was a  special wind this night, and the darkness took on a special  feel because it was All Hallows' Eve.


“So light a fire!" Harry choked. "Yes...of course...but there's  no wood!" ...  "HAVE YOU GONE MAD!" Ron bellowed.  "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT!” 


To me, a witch is a woman that is capable of letting her intuition 
take hold of her actions, that communes with her environment, that isn't afraid of facing challenges. 
We never know who is walking beside us, who is our spiritual teacher. That one - who annoys you so - pretends for a day that he's the one, your personal Obi Wan Kenobi. The first of November is a splendid, subversive holiday.



Midweek Motif ~ Halloween 

or Celebrating the Dead

(31 October  2 November)

Your Challenge:  Show your truth about this holiday in a poem that tells a story.



Is Halloween a children's holiday, as marketed in the USA?
Trick-or-treating

A Wiccan or Witches' New Year?
Oweynagat ('cave of the cats'), one of the many 'gateways to the Otherword' from whence beings and spirits were said to have emerged on Samhain.


All Saints Day and/or The Day of the Dead?  
On All Hallows' Eve, Christians in some parts of the world visit graveyards to pray and place flowers and candles on the graves of their loved ones.
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Something else?   Show your truth about this holiday in a poem that tells a story. 




For those who are new to Poets United:  
  1. Post your Halloween, or Celebrating the Dead poem on your site, and then link it here.
  2. If you use a picture include its link.  
  3. Share only original and new work written for this challenge. 
  4. Leave a comment here.
  5. Visit and comment on our poems.
(The next Midweek Motif will be Bonfires.)


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31 comments:

  1. Everything is a story...i love that about words! I hope this (kind of) fits the bill..thank you

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    1. Yeah, me too. Welcome to the last Midweek of October, Jae Rose.

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    2. Crikey...no wonder next week is fireworks...remember remember the fifth of November ;)

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    3. Ha...subversive Catholics trying to blow up the Houses Of Parliament ( Chortles;)makes for interesting poetry !

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  2. Hope, like in "Mowgli" 'we be of one blood, thou and I" ..lol, maybe just +- cripple by time...

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    1. We be of one blood, flowing inside ... and hardly visible though true. Like your depictions of the male and female in your poem, though I suspect we can be more or less of one or the other.

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  3. Funny thing I've been trying to gather time to write the short story of what Halloween or what the memories are for me. We were trained what to do if the "killer" set upon our group...

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    1. I remember that. I'm glad you survived to tell about it--and that it is 20 years ago. Do you think the lessons then are relevent now?

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  4. Sharing a real experience specially for Dr Susan Chast's Halloween prompt.

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    1. Good one, Anjum. Do you have a Halloween tradition at your house?

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  5. Timely prompt, Susan, and I like the idea of telling a story. I have a gazillion, will pick one and be back later.....

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    1. Great, Sherry! I just came from your site. That narrative flows so fine, as if it wa easy to write.

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  6. thanks Susan for this prompt. My piece is for deceased loved ones. Hope all of you can relate! Happy All Saints and All Souls Days to you all. I am skipping Halloween this year...

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    1. Thanks for your heartfelt poem! And also for your wonderful comment on my poem.

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  7. We celebrate All Saints Day on Sunday. My short poem commemorates the 'celebrating the dead' aspect of the prompt. However you celebrate the season, enjoy!

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  8. Susan,

    A return to writing after many other calls on my time. Just home from a week in Chicago, which was fantastic...
    Now thoughts of some dearly departed, in poetic form!!

    Eileen

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    1. Great poem! I've made an effort to have clearer prompts, so I hope that you enjoy them.

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  9. Great prompt, Susan!
    Mine is up at: http://purplepeninportland.wordpress.com/2014/10/30/they-are-coming/

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  10. Right up my alley, of course! I have written two, one on the night of the dead as requested, the other explaining that in the Southern Hemisphere it's something very different. Again this theme dovetails nicely with other prompts I was addressing.

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    1. Now I have - how appropriate! - The Living Dead to write and post, so it may be a little later before I read and comment on others' poems here.

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    2. O, I kinda missed the storytelling aspect. Hopefully that may be implied, at least. :)

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    3. Happy to have you with us, Rosemary. Both poems imply story. You inspired me to write another, too. And who knows what Friday will bring?
      Happy Holiday!

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  11. Perhaps you cannot resist posting another on Halloween? Please do!

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    1. I have written a number in the past on both Halloween and Samhain. And even Beltane. :)

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  12. Halloween has never been much seen in Australia, although in recent years it has become a little more evident, as something fun for children. Which it is, although its origins in Europe no doubt spoke of darker things.

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    1. Darker and deeper, for sure. It is wonderful to see you here Roslyn! Enjoy the day.

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  13. That's all folks--bring the rest of your poems to our Pantry tomorrow! The next midweek motif will be bonfires. Big ones.

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