[593] The Hag

A poem for All Hallows' Eve:

     The hag is astride
     This night for to ride,
The devil and she together;
     Through thick and through thin,
     Now out and then in,
Though ne'er so foul be the weather.

     A thorn or a burr
     She takes for a spur,
With a lash of a bramble she rides now;
     Through brakes and through briars,
     O'er ditches and mires,
She follows the spirit that guides now.

     No beast for his food
     Dare now range the wood,
But hush'd in his lair he lies lurking;
     While mischiefs, by these,
     On land and on seas,
At noon of night are a-working.

     The storm will arise
     And trouble the skies;
This night, and more for the wonder,
     The ghost from the tomb
     Affrighted shall come,
Call'd out by the clap of the thunder.

	-- Robert Herrick

A wonderfully spooky poem, perfect for Halloween. I first read it at the age
of seven(ish), in a children's anthology titled (rather immodestly)
'SuperBook'. More than the poem, though, I was captivated at the time by the
accompanying illustration, by Victor Ambrus... come to think of it, that was
probably the first Ambrus picture I'd ever seen. Now, though, he forms a
cherished part of my bookshelf - King Arthur, Robin Hood, the Arabian
Nights, all those gorgeous Hamlyn titles would be completely different
without Ambrus' distinctive style to further their enchantment.

Regarding the poem itself I have not much to say. Herrick's verse, as
always, is possessed of a remarkable felicity of rhythm and rhyme; the
scansion is effortless, the alliteration unobtrusive yet effective, and the
words - rather, the _sounds_ of the words - remain clear in your mind long
after the mere sense is forgotten... if, like me, you delight in technical
mastery for its own sake, you'll love this poem.

thomas.

PS. Aren't you glad we've stopped running sonnets? I know I am <grin>.

[Links]

A biography, critical assessment, and links to several archives of Herrick
poems can be found at poem #398

Here's an example of Victor Ambrus' magical art:
http://www.adelaide.ic24.net/ambrus.htm

[Halloween]

 - also called ALL HALLOWS' EVE or ALL HALLOWS' EVENING: a holy or hallowed
evening observed on October 31, the eve of All Saints' Day. In modern times,
it is the occasion for pranks and for children requesting treats or
threatening tricks.

In ancient Britain and Ireland, the Celtic festival of Samhain eve was
observed on October 31, at the end of summer. This date was also the eve of
the new year in both Celtic and Anglo-Saxon times and was the occasion for
one of the ancient fire festivals when huge bonfires were set on hilltops to
frighten away evil spirits. The date was connected with the return of herds
from pasture, and laws and land tenures were renewed. The souls of the dead
were thought to revisit their homes on this day, and the autumnal festival
acquired sinister significance, with ghosts, witches, hobgoblins, black
cats, fairies, and demons of all kinds said to be roaming about. It was the
time to placate the supernatural powers controlling the processes of nature.
In addition, Halloween was thought to be the most favourable time for
divinations concerning marriage, luck, health, and death.

	-- EB