Samhain marks the beginning of winter, the darker part of the year. It is a time when the wall between the worlds of the living and dead fall away and the souls of departed ancestors are encouraged to join the tables of the living, for an evening.

As in most Celtic-based countries, in the Antipodes, Samhain (All Hallows Eve) is held on October 31, although technically – because of the seasonal opposites –  Beltane (30th April/1st May) and Samhain are the other way round.

“Samhain at Jane Court”

Cats fought and loved on the doorstep

I forgot it was Beltane

actually, Samhain, here

on this big

upsidedown

island

turning winterward

the nights drawn long enough

for beloveds to show themselves

etched against the dark

at a reasonable hour

 

at midnight

I went outside

and the cold cloaked me

like a tea buddy

clapped me on the back

told me,

“you know

you’ve turned everything off

in the studio”

but I had to check

 

and all the way outside

in the yard

and on the way back

in the dark

even the cold left me to it

and I felt watched

and warmed

and I thought of the membrane

between us

thinning

like a skin over cooling milk

like the third eyelid of a kitten

or the body twitch from the dream that wakes.