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Another poem for Samhain.

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A little poetics for Samhain

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Happy National Black Cat Day! 🐈‍⬛

This occasion brings together cat lovers from all over to express their love and admiration for these enigmatic feline friends. 🖤 These beautiful black cats have long been the subject of myths and superstitions, but today we aim to debunk those misconceptions and celebrate them for the unique and lovable companions they are.

Throughout history, black cats have been associated with various cultural beliefs. In ancient Egypt, they were revered and seen as symbols of good luck, often associated with the goddess Bastet, who represented home, fertility, and childbirth. However, in medieval Europe, black cats were linked to superstitions and often feared, with many believing they were witches' familiars. These superstitions led to the persecution and even mass killings of black cats during the witch hunt era. Fortunately, society has come a long way, and black cats are now cherished as pets in many households.

National Black Cat Day serves as a reminder that these animals, like any other, deserve love, care, and respect. It's an opportunity for cat enthusiasts to show their affection for these elegant and mysterious felines and to dispel any lingering prejudices against them. Whether you already have a black cat as a beloved companion or are considering adopting one, today is the day to celebrate and share the love.

For more black cat content, take a look at JSTOR Daily's "Nine Black Cat Stickers."

📷 : Clarice Green. Toy Kitten. Circa 2000. Overall: 30mm (width), 40mm (height), 30mm (depth). Museum of New Zealand - Te Papa Tongarewa.

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It’s National Cat Day! Behold a black cat of epic proportions: this melanistic leopard (Panthera pardus). Also known as “panthers,” leopards can be found across a wide range in Africa and Asia and can reach weights of 198 lbs (90 kg). Individuals like the one pictured are rare in the wild and are affected by a genetic mutation called melanism, which results in their dark coloring. Scientists think there are some advantages that come with having a dusky coat, including being able to more seamlessly blend in with the darkness of the night and take in heat more efficiently in the Sun.

Photo: Darshan Ganapathy, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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In this season of haunting, I suggest to you this novel about a fated family known as "The Dier." Strange tales, weird experiences, and two groups of characters, each of whom have a perspective on what happened to the Dier.

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After reading Tolkien with friends over the summer, I am returning to the novels of Charlotte Bronte and here making some comparisons between Jane Eyre, Shirley, and Villette.

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Watching fireflies in the yard at night since the first days of July, I remember_

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"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his (sic) skin, or his background or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate then they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite." -- Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom (1994)

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Another Faery poem. Hope you enjoy_ have a dance in the circle of faery light.

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Another faery poem, this one from 2019; a dreamed encounter at Ross Falls; one of four Ross Falls poems at my blog.

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A brief faery poem_ only one of many that have come to me over the years. It's referred to in my blog "Fantasy and the Faeryfolk" from 2019:

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A blog from 2019 on Faeryfolk and Faerylore, wherein my enthusiasm for the mythos shows, and I wasn't -- at that moment -- dealing specifically with the problem I recently explored in "My Trouble with Fairies:"

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As anyone who has read my poetry and stories knows, I am into fairylore. This is my last blog (so far) on Charlotte Bronte's novel Shirley, exploring all of the references to fairies and their role in the story. It uses my familiarity with old Neo-Pagan faerylore and my studies of 19th century British fairylore as sourcing for the analysis.

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This is my second blog engaged with Charlotte Bronte's third novel, Shirley. If it matters -- this blog contains spoilers; it explores the last chapter, often thought problematic by various readers! My frustration with this chapter actually led me back to it for a deeper read. I explore what I find to be some of the soft narrative structures and then examine the oft-said 'not-so-happy-ending' and why I find it to be so problematic. In all, I affirm the artistry of the last chapter.

Please feel free to comment and respond.