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Showing posts with label Halloween. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Halloween. Show all posts

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Halloween the Day After


This, the morning after our biggest Halloween celebration; ever. All the decorating, shopping, scares, laughs and celebrating now past. Time to move on. My Second oldest; Gail was born on Halloween and she turned forty. We had to do something really special. Family, friends and a couple of foes gathered for her birthday and the holiday. It was a grand masquerade affair.  

Now early morning; I pull back the curtain from my kitchen window to reveal a Blue Jay (dressed in his best) foraging for food beneath my leaflessly barren dogwood tree. This was special! He went about his chore as I watched securely from my window. There was no reason to disturb him in his brilliant array. His neighbors had a different idea. A starling appeared to rudely shove him from his duties. The starling had his own agenda. Oddly his jacket; black while embroidered with orange strips that gave him a “Day of the Dead” decorative look. He was soon joined by a couple others of his kin. They equally impressive in what appeared to be the height of starling fashion, the orange stripped jackets. The story was unfolding into what might become a sort of drama; but all took their turn and there was plenty of whatever they were enjoying as breakfast to go around. Not to be out done a fat squirrel; immaculate in fur, scurried into view. How amazing; this show completely and gloriously free for my viewing pleasure. I can’t imagine a better beginning for any day.


Later today I’ll probably watch a couple of Horror Classics, read several magazines, a novel chapter or two and listen to a little Jazz. This might also be a good day to write a blog. What do you think? 


Thursday, October 1, 2015

The Tell -Tale Heart




Poe is by most consensuses the first name of Gothic Horror in literature and in our minds. Wells, Lovecraft, Shelly, Stoker form a list that goes on including omitted others and continuing into our times. These author’s works have been adapted to film, television, radio and the stage. The scary story is great in any form and we are born with the gene that loves the thrill, rush and fascination a scary telling provides. The masters of horror are many but it is Poe that always guarantees a “good read,” a delight of the mind, a shutter of the soul.

In the nineteen fifties an animation studio; UPA (creators of the original Twilight Zone opening) chose to adapt Poe to their medium. Their short film The Tell-Tale Heart proved to be a perfect choice. It is an infectious and sufficiently eerie presentation of one of Poe’s best “Tells.”





Edgar Allen Poe goes well with the month of October; it’s goblins, shadows and chills. The UPA animation featured here is to enjoy. Let the alchemy of Poe be an enchantment and guilty thrill for you and your haunts in the season of treats and tricks. 


Saturday, October 25, 2014

The Frankenstein Monster


The Frankenstein monster
The lifeless; the dead
Seemed utterly harmless
with probes in his head
 A little of lightning
a bolt and a shock
 delivered the message
it’s time to wake up

The roar of the thunder
the crack of the shock
 he listened and heard them
just like a knock, knock

There’s  business for you
both scary and Grimm
a village to greet you
get going again.

He hurried; he worried
His efforts in vain
He grunted and growled
His brain was insane



He couldn’t remember the joy of a LIFE
The next thing he wanted you know was a wife
So quickly constructed
with bride and with friend
again starting over
his dreams to begin
but they too were shattered
when Bride say his face
this creature of science
could not find his place
He wished to belong
just one in the crowd
he ranted and raved
he shouted out loud
there’s no witches brew
or splendid, warm places
 His bride left him too
her beauty not wasted

The monster moved on
without kit or kin
he’s walking the Earth
resistant to sin
Avoiding each village
each hamlet and den
just can’t get connected
there’s never a  friend
You may see him soon
he’ll visit your town
Just some “thing” much scary
he rambles around

The ocean, the river, the light of the moon

Remarkable, distant, magnanimous goon


Monday, October 28, 2013

HALLOWEEN Meets THE WOLFMAN In LEGEND and In THE MOVIES

 

Full moons

Lycanthropes and terror

a murder looms

inside your mirror.

What better time

to speak of these

than in the month

of ghouls and screams

than in the month

of Halloween.

 

The smell

Of burning leaves

A corpse?

but yet it breathes.

 

A scary

picture show

a thing

best not

to know.

  
 
 

Lon Chaney Jr. talks

as the Wolf-Man stalks

A whisper and a scream

Is coming

from the screen.

Within this month

you’ve seen

 

a host,

a gruesome thing

 

this month of Halloween

this month of Halloween.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Del Toro

awakes tomorrow

heavy heart

was born

to sorrow

his strength

has all been spent

a night of horrors vent

awakens with the dawn

a bloody

sickening throng

man / wolf

or in-between

beware of Halloween

beware or you

will scream.

From what?

You dare not dream

because of Halloween

because of Halloween.