The North Shore Poets’ Forum met on Saturday, and our task was to write a poem, in rhyme, about Halloween. I managed a stanza, but others in our group did wonderfully, especially Roberta Hung, who came up with a villanelle. She won the grand prize, which was nothing more than bragging rights. Still, that’s good.

Anthony Majahad wasn’t able to join us, as he had hoped. But, he sent along a poem to share. It, too, is a villanelle. So, to get you in the spooky spirit, here’s his poem, called “On All Hallows Eve.”

(Again, I’ll indicate stanza breaks with three dots.)

On All Hallows Eve

Souls of the dead return to haunt the living.

Witches ride broomsticks, with their black cats.

October winds mimic souls whimpering.

The full moon shines bright, Hell releases its bats.

…

Evil is in the air, mortals hide and begin shivering,

Warlocks cast spells with cauldrons and bubbling vats,

Cackling witches don their conical hats.

Souls of the dead return to haunt the living.

…

Prayers cannot stop these dead from lingering,

Hell releases demons and black plague rats,

And ghosts fill the night with their bellowing,

While witches ride broomsticks, with their black cats.

…

No one is spared: peasants or aristocrats.

No priest is able to comfort the quivering,

And all hide from the Devil’s diplomats

October winds mimic souls whimpering.

…

Witches and warlocks chant dark spells and sing.

In graveyards, ghouls gnaw dry bones, marrow and fats.

At midnight, the Devil is strengthening,

The full moon shines bright, Hell releases its bats.

…

In the night’s madness, a hastening,

Children afraid of the Devil’s hellcats,

Adults are afraid of almost everything.

At dawn, all is gone; one of night’s only caveats.

Souls of the dead return; church bells begin ringing.

Anthony M. Majahad

October 2002