Ebony Cauldron
written by: Christina Ciufo
@ChristinaCiufo
On All Hallow’s Eve,
murder of crows caw
while disembodied voices,
staid and nebulous,
in a chorus, serenade their dolorous song,
and a black cat’s yowling,
vexatious and unsettling,
echoes across the cemetery,
into the woods, weaves
through the red oaks’
gaunt, crocked arms,
through the bonfire’s
withered charcoal-brown stones,
and around the cauldron’s rim.
Golden-auburn flames
caress the cauldron –
conjuring depravity,
impious, and thaumaturgy
from their slumber.
Aroma of foxglove, sage,
garlic, mugwort, red oak leaves,
milk thistles, and yarrow permeates
and like a serpent, charcoal smoke
slithers around the cauldron’s rim,
through the flame’s scarlet-golden fingers,
and red oak trees’ fingers,
reaching for the Blood Moon’s ensorcellment.
Disembodied voices recite an incantation –
phantoms’ shadows appear.
Red oaks and phantoms’ shadows,
stand and form a ritualistic circle
around the cauldron.
Its’ scarlet-ebony potion
boils and elucidates.
Flames swallow
the cauldron’s impiousness
Their complexion changes –
becoming raven-emerald,
igniting thaumaturgy, depravity,
irreligious, wretchedness, and unsettledness
underneath the Blood Moon on All Hallow’s Eve.
- Her Nutcracker - December 17, 2024
- Frau Perchta - December 2, 2024
- Plague Doctor’s Ghost - October 21, 2024
