North Wales
—Public Domain Illustrations Courtesy of Medusa
THE DEVIL IT IS
Play me a tune
a little light music
to sooth my soul,
and bring me cheer
in these troubled times.
Play it louder
louder
play louder
all of you
together.
Play me a tune
a little light music
to sooth my soul,
and bring me cheer
in these troubled times.
Play it louder
louder
play louder
all of you
together.
TRICK OR TREAT
They’re spilling like jewels
from the child proof jar,
multicoloured,
sugar coated,
‘Eat Me’
treats.
Or are they tricks?
Try them
and you’ll find out
soon enough,
just suck them,
and you’ll see.
(First published in Truly Unique, October 2019)
WE SHOULD HAVE SEEN IT COMING
To begin with the dark parts were small
tiny black squares in the brightness,
we should have seen it growing
recognised its full potential
noticed the blurred edges
allowing it to creep
outwards
imperceptibly
almost invisibly.
And now
there’s hardly a space between the black parts
and little space for brightness around them.
Even the red no longer looks dangerous
however vibrantly it tries to intervene
the darkness is winning
slowly but
exponentially
covering it all.
We should have seen it coming.
How did we not see it?
I think it’s too late
to halt it
now.
(First published in As It Ought To Be Magazine, October 2019)
To begin with the dark parts were small
tiny black squares in the brightness,
we should have seen it growing
recognised its full potential
noticed the blurred edges
allowing it to creep
outwards
imperceptibly
almost invisibly.
And now
there’s hardly a space between the black parts
and little space for brightness around them.
Even the red no longer looks dangerous
however vibrantly it tries to intervene
the darkness is winning
slowly but
exponentially
covering it all.
We should have seen it coming.
How did we not see it?
I think it’s too late
to halt it
now.
(First published in As It Ought To Be Magazine, October 2019)
ALL THE DEVILS WERE THERE
I used to dress in bakers white
and take a basket of bread
to Halloween parties.
I never found many takers.
Spiced pumpkin,
apple cakes
and candy
were always more popular.
So I had a re-think.
Now I take a basket of babies.
They can’t get enough of them
all of those devils out there,
even those who come as angels
gather round for a bite.
Just one bite will transform them
so they’ll leave as devilish
as the rest.
(First published in Red Weather, Issue 38, 2020)
SAMHAIN
It’s the time when bonfires are lit
when it’s easier to cross into another world
when places are set at the table to welcome the
dead,
to consume the witches
so the evil in the world dies
in the heat and the smoke and the flames.
But this Samhain in Gaza the evil is spreading
in the smoke and ashes.
Everywhere is aflame
nowhere is safe
and everyone is a witch,
the old, the young and even the dead must burn.
Gazans have become the new Nemeds
having already given their corn and milk
now they must give two-thirds of their children
and watch as they are consumed in the fire.
It’s the custom after all.
(First published in Oddball, October 28, 2024)
ON THE DAY OF THE DEAD
At last the party is over.
Friends and family are gone,
long gone in some cases,
though with us in spirit
earlier.
Now I’m the only one left
still dancing
all alone
until
the ravens came to join me
bringing with them more guests,
not only the souls of the dead
but the souls of those
we had taken care to exclude.
They’re with me now,
the souls of the damned
ready to join in the dance.
And they won’t let me leave.
(First published in Spirits and Specters,
Four Feathers Press, October 2023)
At last the party is over.
Friends and family are gone,
long gone in some cases,
though with us in spirit
earlier.
Now I’m the only one left
still dancing
all alone
until
the ravens came to join me
bringing with them more guests,
not only the souls of the dead
but the souls of those
we had taken care to exclude.
They’re with me now,
the souls of the damned
ready to join in the dance.
And they won’t let me leave.
(First published in Spirits and Specters,
Four Feathers Press, October 2023)
______________________
Today’s LittleNip:
Summon the angels.
—Lynn White
Don’t let the devil seduce me
don’t let him take me
don’t let him carry my soul
away.
(First published in New Reader, Houdini Issue, June 2020)
______________________
—Medusa, with our thanks to Lynn White for today fine, fun and spooky poetry!
Ruler of the Night
A reminder that
Sacramento Poetry Week
continues—
see SacPoetryWeek.com/.
For info about this and other
future poetry happenings in
Northern California and otherwheres,
click on
UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS
(http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/wtf.html)
in the links at the top of this page—
and keep an eye on this link and on
the daily Kitchen for happenings
that might pop up
—or get changed!—
during the week.
Photos in this column can be enlarged by
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
Poets’ bios appear on their first MK visit.
To find previous posts, type the name
of the poet (or poem) into the little
beige box at the top left-hand side
of this column. See also
Medusa’s Rapsheet at the bottom
of the blue column on the right
side of this column to find
any date you want.
Miss a post?
You can find our most recent ones by
scrolling down under this daily one.
Or there's an "Older Posts" button
at the bottom of this column.
(Please excuse typos in older posts!
Blogspot has been through a lot of
incarnations in 20 years!)
Would you like to be a SnakePal?
Guidelines are at the top of this page
at the Placating the Gorgon link;
send poetry and/or photos and artwork
to kathykieth@hotmail.com. We post
work from all over the world—including
that which was previously published—
and collaborations are welcome.
Just remember:
the snakes of Medusa are always hungry—
for poetry, of course!
Sacramento Poetry Week
continues—
see SacPoetryWeek.com/.
For info about this and other
future poetry happenings in
Northern California and otherwheres,
click on
UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS
(http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/wtf.html)
in the links at the top of this page—
and keep an eye on this link and on
the daily Kitchen for happenings
that might pop up
—or get changed!—
during the week.
Photos in this column can be enlarged by
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
Poets’ bios appear on their first MK visit.
To find previous posts, type the name
of the poet (or poem) into the little
beige box at the top left-hand side
of this column. See also
Medusa’s Rapsheet at the bottom
of the blue column on the right
side of this column to find
any date you want.
Miss a post?
You can find our most recent ones by
scrolling down under this daily one.
Or there's an "Older Posts" button
at the bottom of this column.
(Please excuse typos in older posts!
Blogspot has been through a lot of
incarnations in 20 years!)
Would you like to be a SnakePal?
Guidelines are at the top of this page
at the Placating the Gorgon link;
send poetry and/or photos and artwork
to kathykieth@hotmail.com. We post
work from all over the world—including
that which was previously published—
and collaborations are welcome.
Just remember:
the snakes of Medusa are always hungry—
for poetry, of course!
