‘Tis the ghoulish season’… so for the rest of this week, I’ll be posting things with Halloween and Dia de Muertos themes…; -) Yes, this is an old one you may have already seen.
Shadows
Rattling windows and doors,
coolness that implores,
explores,
stretches,
moving up vertical places
at questionable angles,
lying across tables and chairs,
stairs and floors,
deepening the gloom
in already dim places,
in corners
and behind closed doors,
sharp or soft edged,
misshapen pools of darkness.
Yes,
and me too.
Auras of suspense presupposed,
magical, mystical
to those so inclined,
play of light and dark
as more or less solid
apparitions cut to and fro,
through dappled or bright light,
or remain still,
as light moves,
ghastly silhouette images
all around,
under foot and beds,
cars, and clouds.
Who knows what shadows the heart?
–LE – Sep 2015
4 responses to “Shadows”
Halloween is huge in the states.
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Yes it is, second only to Christmas. Halloween is where people dress up as anything, but themselves, some in elaborate costumes. It’s also the time of the year when ‘the veil between worlds’ is thinnest, making it easier for entities to travel back and forth… At least that’s the Halloween story that I was told…; -)
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In china, they have similar festival on 14 July lunar calendar each year.
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Halloween comes from old pagan end of summer festivals, called by the Celts Samhein.
Samhain (pronounced SAH-win or SOW-in) is an ancient Gaelic festival that marks the end of the harvest season and the start of winter or the “darker half” of the year.
Core Meaning and Translation
• Etymology: The word translates literally to “summer’s end” in Old Irish and Gaelic traditions.
• Timing: It is celebrated from sunset on October 31 through November 1, as the Celtic day began and ended at sunset.
• Calendar Role: It served as the Celtic New Year and the final of three autumn harvest festivals.
Key Beliefs and Traditions
• The Thin Veil: Ancient Celts believed that during Samhain, the boundary between the physical world and the Otherworld (the realm of spirits and fairies) grew very thin.
• Spirits and Ancestors: Ancestors were welcomed back with food and drink, while glowing carved root vegetables or turnips and protective bonfires were used to ward off unpredictable or mischievous spirits (Sidhe).
• Disguises: Wearing masks and costumes originated as a way to hide from or trick roaming spirits.
Connection to Modern Halloween
• Christianization: As Christianity spread, Samhain blended with All Saints’ Day (All Hallows’ Day) and All Souls’ Day, shaping the modern secular and cultural celebration of Halloween.
• Modern Paganism: In Wicca and Druid traditions today, Samhain is honored as a time for reflection, remembering deceased loved ones, and celebrating the turning of the Wheel of the Year.
FYI…; -)
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