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.

― Ray Bradbury, The Halloween Tree

“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!” 

― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

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. 

― Paulo Coelho

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.

― Mary Rose O'Reilley, The Barn at the End of the World: 

The Apprenticeship of a Quaker, Buddhist Shepherd

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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Classic Poetry - (There Will Come Soft Rains) Sara Teasdale

There Will Come Soft Rains

There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground,
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;

And frogs in the pools singing at night,
And wild plum trees in tremulous white;

Robins will wear their feathery fire,
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire;

And not one will know of the war, not one
Will care at last when it is done.

Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree,
If mankind perished utterly;

And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn
Would scarcely know that we were gone.

~ Sara Teasdale

Sara Teasdale (August 8, 1884 – January 29, 1933)

Sara was a wonderful poet who lived a sad life. There is not much about historically that I know save for the fact she was Sylvia Plath before Sylvia was Sylvia. She ended up committing suicide at the young age of 33.

A slightly odd fact about this poem is that it inspired a story by science fiction writer Ray Bradbury. His story was then used in many adaptations with her words echoing through them all. The story is about an automated house that after an apocalypse still serves and assists its dead family. Although it seems morbid and grotesque the actually is quite intriguing. If you like sci fi it is a quick and decent read. For more about the Ray Bradbury’s inspired story please read here.

In the video below the poem is found in a video game called Fall Out 3. It is a post apocalyptic game in which after many hours of playing you can stumble on a house where a robot recites this poem.



What are your thoughts on this poem? What are your thoughts on Sara Teasdale? Do you have any poems or anything else written by her you prefer? Please feel free to share your thoughts on either the poem displayed here or whatever you wish about Sara Teasdale in the comment section below.

Poets United posts a classic poem once weekly. We want to do this to introduce classic poets and their poems to our members. It is also a way to display different styles, genres and approaches to poetry. Our intent is to further expand the world of poetry while educating ourselves.


If you have a classic poem or set of prose you are fond of please let us know by emailing it to us at poetsunited@ymail.com